Runaway Pet Prince!
by Chesrylle Cat
Summary: Lucy Heartfilia was walking home one day, when she found a cat. She took in the cat to be her pet, but found out her "cat" isn't what he seems. Her cat is a Lion? He owes her a favor? What will happen to them, and is this going to be a blooming relationship? (Not the best summaries. X3) Planning to make it Loke x Lucy and a bit of Sting x Lucy.
1. A New Friend

**C/N : I got the idea from reading ****InsanityVixen****'s Lil' Red. I thank her for the inspiration.**

**I do not own any of the characters or music/titles I happened to put!**

* * *

**A New Friend**

"_I can't wait to get home and read the book I bought!" _a Lucy Heartfilia thought happily to herself. Lucy and her best friend, Levy McGarden, just left the bookstore after a girls'-day-get-together with some of her other classmates and friends. She was walking leisurely and humming the tune of River Flows in You and singing the song in her head.

Halfway through the song, the dazed blonde heard a soft mewing coming from her far right. "_Huh?_" the girl snapped her head to the right immediately at the sound of the distressed feline. "Who in the world leaves a poor kitten out in the rain?" It was pouring earlier, but lightened up to a thick drizzle. Following the soft cries growing louder, she found herself by a rose-bush, where a wet, orange-colored tabby cat cried as it tried to free itself from a rose vine that hugged its small hind leg and part of its body.

"Oh! How did you get into this vine?" The girl asked the kitten as if it would answer her somehow. "Hold on a bit," giggling to herself "good thing mama asked me to buy a pair of small garden scissors." The pruning took a while, since the cat wouldn't stop trying to help by squirming and the vines were rather thick. After 30 minutes of crouching, pruning, and twisting various rose vines, Lucy triumphantly and carefully held the dirty and wounded kitten with bleeding fingers closely to her chest.

* * *

"_Darn, I'm late for dinner! I'll be getting an earful from mama and papa." _Panting and tired, the exasperated blond could already hear the sermon her father would give about tardiness. Grimacing at the thought of ear-bleeding inducing lectures, a soft whimper came from her covered arms. She smiled softly as she saw a pair of greyish-blue eyes look staring at her, mewing, Lucy cooed the kitten quietly "Don't worry lil' guy, I'll get you patched up, warm and fed." She said smiling wider and giggling as the little bundle of fur that started purring and rub against her under bust.

"I'm home!" Lucy called out by the large and brightly-lit home's main entrance. Her family was rather well-to-do and had a rather large house with three floors, two balconies and two medium-sized gardens full of flowers, a pool and had 4 entrances.

"Lucy Heartfilia, where have you been at this hour?" Her father, Jude Heartfilia, questioned with a menacing but worried tone at his daughter. "We almost called the police!" He bellowed again, causing the girl to laugh nervously at her father's over-exaggerated statement. "I'm sorry daddy, I got, um, sidetracked." She smiled while walking over to her father to give him a peck on the cheek, and then proceeded to her mother, who looked calm at the sight of her daughter. "Welcome home dear. You were out later than you said you would, we started getting worried." Layla Heartfilia said to her approaching daughter, who noted the worried look in her mother's eyes. "What held you up Lucy?" Questioned her mother. Lucy looked around nervously as her father entered the room as well, wondering the same thing. "Ah, we-well, you see… I just-" her statement got cut off by a small chain of meowings coming from her jacket that she held in her arms. "_Oh well,"_ the teen sighed inwardly "_now or never. I did plan to ask them anyway." _ Her father raised an eyebrow and her mother had an astonished look, "So yeah… this guy's the reason I'm a bit late mama." Lucy smiled sweetly at her parents, revealing the little kitten.

"So… can I keep him?" Eyes twinkling with anticipation and lips formed into a sort of puppy-dog pout. Her mother was gently drying off the little kitten and bandaging its wounds, while her father was fussing about Lucy's wounded bleeding hands and fingers. "Pleeease daddy? I'll take care of him myself! I promise!" Lucy was pleading while disinfecting her wounds. Jude Heartfilia turned his head to his wife, like trying to ask for advice. Or trying to ask her to put some sense into their daughter about this.

"I think we should let her keep it dear." Layla Heartfilia smiled reassuringly to her husband then her daughter. "But she should try to look for the cat's owners first, if it has any." The breadwinner of the house closed his eyes for a minute thinking and weighing everything out, then looked at his pleading daughter's pout then to his sweetly-smiling wife and sighed, "You have to train him, feed him and make sure he doesn't make a mess or bother anyone or anything." "And if he happens to get himself into something like this again, please call in advance to say you'll be late. Or that you're hurt." The kindly mother added.

Lucy's whole face lit up and hugged both her parents, nearly tackling them to the ground. "Oh gosh, thank you daddy! Thank you mommy! I promise!" She was practically jumping up and down with joy like a five-year old.

* * *

Getting ready for bed, Lucy stopped every now and then to look lovingly at the kitten and pet him or just star at it. Now that she got a closer look, and now that there was better lighting, she could see that the tabby cat was strawberry-blonde, with a few brown and black stripes, that weren't exactly visible from afar. Its fur stuck out pointedly in clumps pointed different directions and it had these dull but sharp blue-grey eyes. The kitten was, by her guess, about 4-6 months old. _"Not exactly a kitten, but hey, my cat." _"You're simply adorable! An absolute bundle of fluffy cuteness!" She giggled while playing with the kitten, the kitten, likewise, started to try and catch the wagging finger in front of its nose. Lucy giggled then yawned, checking the time, she decided it's about time to sleep.

Picking up the cat, she made her way to bed and tucked the tabby beside her. "Good night." She scratched the cat behind the ears, its eyes started to close, signaling that it was sleepy. Even in the dark, the fur looked liked it glowed, making Lucy still see the strawberry-blonde color. "Ichigo." She murmured. "Hey, I should call you Ichigo." She smiled at the cat, who was purring now asleep. "Night-night Ichigo." She whispered as she closed her eyes.

* * *

Lucy woke up just before her alarm woke her up. She tried to move her arms, but couldn't, feeling something pinning her to her side. She opened her eyes to see a bare chest, handsome man with orange hair, sleeping beside her. Feeling her face heat up, she unconsciously gave a tiny yelp when the man hugged her tighter. "Can't... breathe! Murrmph! Stop... hugging me..." Struggling animately, looking quite chibi, she yelled out the last part "Get away!", while pushing strongly the man away from her toward the edge of the bed, making him stir from his sleep slightly, in time for his falling off the bed.

Hearing the loud 'thud', Lucy sat confused, flustered and panting, because of her racing heart beat, on her bed, bending over to check the fallen male. Startled again, she backed away, looking at the, now fully awake man, rubbing the back of his head with one hand, while supporting himself to a sitting position with the other. "Ah~. What a fall," the man said, wincing at the pain and recall of the fall "that hurt you know?" He pouted toward the now blushing blonde, then a smile creeping onto his face "I didn't think you'd push your 'bundle of fluffy cuteness,' off the bed, onto the cold, hard, unforgiving floor." He was now smirking, while the girl turned tomato red, at a loss for words, recalling what she said to her kitten last night.

_"My cat!"_ Lucy snapped out of her embarrassment, and started looking everywhere for her lost cat. "Ichigo, hey, where are you tiny?"

Having looked everywhere near her bed, she pouted towards the mysterious man, "Where or what did you do to my cat?"

The orange haired intruder chuckled, dusting off imaginary dust while shaking his head in amusement, said simply "Can't you tell love?"

"I'm NOT your 'love.' Now, who are you and how in the world did you get in my room next to me?" Retorted the still pouting blonde, whose blood threatened to make way to her cheeks.

Chuckling more, the man stood up, making Lucy avert her gaze, now blushing, but noticed the man had pants.

He laughed openly now, "Quite modest now aren't you?" Raising a brow. The girl just blushed more and stuck her tongue out to the man, "You haven't answered my questions. And where is my cat?" Crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, to answer your questions, one, you ARE my love, when you helped me yesterday," he stated matter-of-factually, while she was plain confused. "two, my name is Leo, but call me Loke. Three, you put me beside you remember?" Raising a brow to the very confused girl, "And four, I AM you cat, darling."

Clearly confused, Lucy shook her head and furrowed her brows, "Seriously." She said in a commanding tone.

Sighing, the man named Loke smiled at Lucy and explained, "My name is Loke, I am Leo, the lion. The cat you found yesterday was me in one of my feline forms. Right now, I am in my real form. You helped me yesterday, and so, technically, I owe you." Loke gave Lucy a charming smile while stating all this.

"Hold on. Backup. WHAT?" Lucy cried still very confused.

Sighing, Loke came up to her almost nose-to-nose, "I am the cat you found yesterday. Understand?" The girl nodded, "This is my real body. My name is Loke, alright?" Again, the girl nodded. "You helped me yesterday, and so I owe you a favor," he watched the girl's expression while she nodded "And until I can repay you back for your kindness, I will be your cat, and take care of you. In more ways than one if you wish." Saying the last part quite seductively. Lucy blushed at this, and pouted once more. Loke chuckled and added, "It's good that you understand. It's a deal then"

"No." Furrowing her eyebrows. Sighing,"I kept you thinking you were a stray kitten, but since you're, uh, _that_, a-a person. Please, I can't keep you here away from your home."

"By all means, please, head home." Saying with an almost motherly tone in her voice and smile.

Startled by the girl's expression, he shook his head, and smiled kindly "It wasn't a question, it was a statement. A firm declaration." He said kindly but firmly.

The man then sat by Lucy on the bed, tilted her chin upward to him, "And this will seal the deal." "E-eh?" Still trying to process everything. Loke smiled at her and closed the distance from his lips to her, in a sweet, firm and passionate kiss.

* * *

**C/N : I'm open to comments and reviews! I'm not very good at cheesy stuff, so sorry.****  
**

**"_I'm not mad. My reality is just different from yours."_  
**


	2. My Mark On You

***SMACK!***

* * *

Lucy sat sulking in one corner of her room, while Loke sat equally distressed as Lucy in the opposite corner, rubbing his swollen cheek and looking for other signs of injury.

* * *

_FLASHBACK IN LUCY'S POINT OF VIEW_

He kissed me. He _kissed _me. My _first kiss_, stolen by this, cat-person-_THING_.

I slapped him firm and hard with my free hand, the hand that wasn't caught in his warm but tight hug. Blushing madly, I threw the first thing I saw on my dresser, and threw it straight to his stomach.

"What the heck is wrong with you?!" I screeched at him. He was coughing and rubbing his sore cheek before he looked and smiled weakly at me and responded meekly, "I was completing the contract."

"You kissed me to finish the contract of you owing me?!" I was seething in anger, and I threw the alarm clock beside my lamp, which he blocked off. He stood up straight and had an apologetic but serious face "No. I kissed you to complete the Contract of the Mark."

I was really mad the guy I didn't feel like conversing in a civilized manner, but I was also curious to this Contract thing he's talking about. I stared at him long and hard. He eventually got the message, "Look at your right hand."

I stared down at my palm, seeing nothing, I turned my hand over. "What the heck?!" I screeched, moving my hand away from me, staring swords at the orange-head. On the back of my right hand is, what looks like, a light yellow crouching lioness with three tails, with blue and grey eyes, right and left respectively.

I threw my pillow at him. The impact was so hard, he fell backwards, flat on his bottom, hitting his head on the closet too.

* * *

Lucy was glaring at the back of the orange-head's head and sighed. "Alright, fine. I'm sorry about throwing stuff at you but you deserved it, in any case." She looked apologetically at the sulking man, who stared at her blankly. "You don't go around kissing girls like that mister." She pouted at him. He sighed and smiled. "Right, I'm sorry then, but with all respect, I don't think you'd agree to complete the contract if I asked you." Lucy blushed and pouted again making the man chuckle.

"Well, I'm Lucy Heartfilia then. You're Loke? Or Leo?" She queried offering her hand to shake his.

"I'm both. But call me Loke instead, Princess." He took her hand and kissed the back of it, making her blush and pull her hand away from his lips. "Don't do that." She pouted, and crossed her arms across her ample chest, making Loke raise his eye brow in amusement and smile at her. _"He's cute, I'll give him that."_ She thought making her blush more, she looked away from him. "So what is this 'Contract of the Mark' you're going on about?" He looked at Lucy before responding with a serious tone, "The Contract of the Mark is, as its name implies, a contract of my mark, which is, that on your right hand." He gestured to the girl's hand. "And this mark is what for exactly?" She questioned. "It's more or less a link between the two of us. The two of us are 'linked'. It will help me, keep you safe from harm. It'll send something similar to a distress signal to me in case you're in trouble."

"How will this know I'm in trouble?" Lucy asked looking at the lioness picture on her hand. "Your emotions." He answered shrugging. "Emotions?" She repeated with furrowed brows. "Yes. It's 'knows' your emotions, and will register to me any feelings of anxiety, fear, worry or anything of the like." He responded, nodding his head.

"Alright then. I'll comply. But I have rules." She nodded once then pointed at the man. "One, no kissing or 'intimate' physical interaction." She raised her index finger indicating the number and looked at him hard, receiving a curt nod from him. "Two," raising another finger to indicate the number, then pointed at him, "you have to be fully dressed to be inside my room." He looked down to himself and saw he only wore grey slacks, he laughed a bit then snapped his finger. In an instant a well-tailored suit clothed him. "Better know, my Princess?" He asked fixing his suit jacket and cuffs looking at her. She nodded once and continued, "Three, please refrain from calling me 'Princess'. Really, my own father doesn't call me that!" She closed her eyes and shook her head making the man laugh, "Whatever you wish Lucy."

She stood thinking a bit, tapping her foot, then continued "Well, I guess that's about it. You follow my rules, and we'll get along very well." She smiled brightly at him. "That good then- Crap!" He was saying, moving forward towards her to shake shake her hand, when the thick hard-bound book I threw at him caused him to trip over. Lucy tried to catch him, but seemed to forget that the man was at least head taller than her and much bigger and muscular for her to catch, as a result, the two fell together, with Loke atop Lucy. One of Loke's arms was framing her head while the other was helping him balance himself from crashing on top of her. Lucy realized the the position they were in, and blushed in a shade that could put a tomato to shame, her eyes widened and yelled, she shut her eyes tightly then slapping him on the cheek.

"KYAAAA!" *SLAP!*

She opened her eyes instantly at the sound of impact her hand made with the man's cheek and flailed around "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry Loke, I did it on impulse! I'm so sorry! Are you alrig-" she was comically flailing around Loke, who was rubbing his swollen cheek and assuring her that it wasn't her fault, when the two heard a tap on the mahogany door to Lucy room. "Lucy, sweetheart, are you alright? We heard you scream."

_"Shoot! Mama!" _Lucy mentally slapped herself and tried to think of an excuse "I'm-I'm fine mama! It was just a, uh-A SPIDER! Ye-yeah, a big spider mama, everything's fine!" She stuttered to her mother. "But you were saying something else. Who's Loke, Lucy?" Her father's voice sounded through the door. _"Papa too?! Is my voice really that loud?" _She mentally slapped herself harder at that, "It was my cat papa! Re-remember that kitten? I-I named him Loke! I accidentally hit him with the ma-magazine I threw at the spider." She and Loke sighed at the cover-up, "Is that so? Well, you should be careful of that cat of yours dear, don't want him getting more injuries that he has." Her father told his daughter. "Come down soon Lucy, breakfast is ready. And hurry dear, you might be late for school." Her mother's kindly voice said before fading away.

The two sighed with relief. _"That was close."_ The two said at the same time in their minds as the relaxed. The looked at each other and laughed at the incident. "Well Loke, I have to go to school. Mind if you clean up?" Lucy said giggling to her companion, gesturing to the messy room. "My pleasure, Princess." He stood up bowing curtly to the blonde, who he held his hand out for her to take.

She accepted the offered hand, stood up and turned to the bathroom.

* * *

Lucy finished getting ready for school, wearing her uniform. Her uniform was a normal white blouse, with a navy blue and red checkered tie that reached just below her bust with a pocket stitched with the Fairy Tail insignia on her left breast. Her skirt was a smooth front-and-back short skirt, about two inches about the knee pleated at the sides, in the same color as her tie. She wore socks two and a half inches below her knees and tied her hair up on one side and instructed Loke. "Loke, I want you to stay in cat form in my room. I'll be keeping the door slightly ajar if you get hungry. Don't make a mess in my room, 'kay?" She told the suited man who sat poised on her desk chair. "Of course, Lucy. But do remember that I'm not really a cat, alright?" He cocked his brow up telling Lucy in teasing tone, making him receive a ruffling of the hair, "Of course Loke! But, I can't if I want to make my parents keep suspicion from you." She smiled to him, "Now, turn into the cat and lets have breakfast." Smiling more to him.

"Right." He let out a amused breathe and glowed brightly, making Lucy cover her eyes with her arm. When she uncovered her eyes, she saw the same strawberry-blonde cat from yesterday. _"Mrow."_ He let out. Lucy let out a small huff, and crossed her arms raising an eyebrow. "I kind of wonder how you managed to turn to human without me waking up, with that really bright light." She smirked at the cat, who tilted its head and let out another meow, as if saying "Who knows?"

She let out another chuckle-mixed huff and opened the door and ran downstairs. "Come on Loke!" She called to the cat who scurried down after her.

* * *

"Remember Loke, stay in my room, don't make a mess, and please be good." Lucy told Loke while she put on her shoes, looking at the strawberry-orange tabby cat. _"Meow."_ Responded the cat, as if saying "Yes, yes, you've told me before, Lucy."

"Lucy, I'll take care of Loke for you, so stop talking to him and get going. You'll be late dear." Her mother called, from the kitchen. Her father went ahead to their company. "Yes mama!" She stood up and brushed her skirt and scratched the back of Loke's ears, making him purr. "Stay. Here." She told firmly to the cat. "I'm leaving now!" She called out to her mother, "Take care, sweetheart!" Her mother called out before she ran out the door.

Lucy checked her watch and started jogging to her school. 15 minutes of jogging, Lucy was panting in front of the school's main entrance. "Lu-chan!" A blue-haired, pale skinned short girl called to Lucy, hugging her. "Hi Levy." The blonde greeted back to her best friend, Levy McGarden, returning the hug. "Good morning, Lucy." Smiled a long white-hair beauty who greeted Lucy as well. "Good morning Mira." Responded Lucy to the school's idol, Mirajane Strauss, giving her the same smile. "Lucy. Good morning." Greeted a red-haired, serious looking woman, "Hey Erza!" Greeted, again, Lucy to the school's disciplinarian, Erza Scarlet.

"Lu-chan, how was the book you bought?" Levy asked the blonde, who was walking to their classroom. "I didn't get to rad it. Some... distractions." Lucy laughed nervously, making her companions look at her questioningly. "It's nothing problematic, don't worry!" Lucy waved her arms in front of her indicating a 'no.' The other girls looked relieved while Lucy giggled slightly, when she was suddenly pulled backwards by the arm. "Good morning Blondie." Smirked a light-yellow blonde with spiky hair and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Sting Eucliffe." Hissed Erza through clenched teeth, while Levy and Mirajane frowned holding Erza back from pouncing on the male. "Sting," Lucy frowned looking up to her harasser, "let me go." Sting smirked and his grip tightened around her waist, "Aw, come on Lucy, that any way to greet your boyfriend?" He pretended to look hurt look at her, she sighed in annoyance "You are NOT my boyfriend Sting. Now, please let go." She started pulling herself free from his grip, but only to make it tighter.

"Sting. Let's go." An emotionless voice came from behind Sting, making Sting turn to see his cousin, Rougue Cheney. "Aw, Rogue, come on." Whined Sting, while Lucy struggled to get free. "We'll be late Sting. And let the girl go." He said in a bored tone. Sting sighed and released his grip on the sunnny-blonde who almost stumbled, but was caught by Levy and the others. "See you around, Blondie" The other blonde smirked to Lucy and turned around to follow his partner. "You're blonde too, idiot." Lucy mumbled when they were out of earshot. "That Eucliffe has a lot of nerve to come around Fairy Tail Academy, when they're from Sabertooth University." Fumed Erza. Fairy Tail Academy and Sabertooth University have always been rivals somehow. "Maybe Sting-kun really does love Lucy!" Mirajane cooed, her eyes sparkling. Lucy laughed nervously when the bell rang. "We better get to class now."

* * *

The class was 15 minutes into the discussion while Lucy zoned in and out. She kept wandering about thing, especially about her cat, Loke. _"He said he was Leo the Lion. Isn't that a zodiac sign?"_ She was thinking and doodling on her notebook when she heard someone calling her name. She looked to her right to see if the was someone calling her, maybe her other bestfriend Natsu Dragneel, but he was sleeping, snoring loudly at the back of the classroom. "_Lucy_!" Whispered again the voice. "_Outside_!" Lucy had a window seat and looked out, to see a man in a suit up on the cherry blossom tree. "_Wait. A suited man in a cherry blossom tree. What?!" _Lucy eyes nearly fell out of their sockets at the sight.

"_Loke, what are__ you doing in my school_?!" Lucy hissed to the strawberry-orange blonde outside the window.

* * *

**C/N: So, did you like it? I'm sorry for the late update, I'm trying my best to make it come faster, don't you worry! ^^  
****Do you think Sting was a bit out of character? Well, my story, right? XD  
Updates coming as it's been thought out and encoded!  
**

**_"I'm not mad. My reality is just different from yours."_  
**


	3. Princess

"_Loke, what are you doing in my school?" _Lucy whispered and hissed at the man outside the window, standing poised on top the cherry blossom tree's largest branch. "_I felt that you were aggravated, and came by to check. Are you alright, Princess?_"

"Miss Heartfilia, is there something important outside?" Lucy snapped her head to see her teacher glaring at her and some of her classmates snickering in her direction, while her friends looked worriedly at her. "Uh-um, nno-no sir, I just, uh, saw something...fell. Sorry." She stuttered an apology while scratching the back of her head, hoping the teacher wouldn't look outside. Luckily, the math teacher simply narrowed his eyes at her and returned to his lesson. "As I was saying, this variable 'x' is..." Lucy sighed in relief and turned to look outside the window again, to see the strawberry-blonde male leaning on the tree trunk. "_Go away, Loke! I'm fine! Go home!_" She hissed at him. He stared at her for a bit, replying, "_I'll stay here, just in case._" sitting down, leaning his back on the thick trunk and tucking his hands behind his head and closing his eyes. She sighed in annoyance and defeat, there's no reason in continuing this with him, so she just focused on the lesson of her teacher.

* * *

_LOKE'S POINT OF VIEW_

Lucy sighed and turned to her teacher when I leaned on the tree. I decided to stay and keep guard, but tried not to look like I'm watching her so intently. She was busy taking notes and and writing some stuff I couldn't get. At one point, their teacher decided to throw a piece of chalk at boy with salmon-pink hair who was sleeping. He woke up yelling "Happy, don't eat the fish, dammit!" Then rubbed his head looking stupidly around, scratching his head, "Wait, you're not Happy." he said looking at his teacher, making everyone laugh, except for the teacher, the veins on his balding forehead popped out while he hit the boy with his class record "I am most certainly NOT happy, Mr. Dragneel!" he stated, making everyone laugh harder. I chuckled at this. Humans are so amusing sometimes. I glanced at Lucy, she was tearing up from laughter. She looked so cute. I smiled, remembering how kind and gentle she was yesterday.

I sighed and went back to my reclined position. "The sky here is so different." I told the air, gazing at the sky. "Everything here is different." I closed my eyes. I remembered what I said about the Mark. I smirked. Well, I didn't _exactly_ tell her everything about the Mark. I left a few bit out. The bits that could get me killed, at least.

The Mark was what the humans would consider, "engagement rings," we're technically engaged. But, only partially. Both parties would have to mark the other. For Lucy though, since she's human, she has to agree to the concept of THIS Mark and give and have full consent to it. I think deeply into this. How do I get someone like Lucy to agree to this?

I smirked. "I'll find a way somehow. Besides, I've never met a girl that couldn't and wouldn't give in to me." I said quite confidently of myself. _"You've also never met someone who could affect you like Lucy Heartfilia before, have we?"_ Ah, my conscience never ceases to contradict my pride. But I am a lion. The lion. I get my way, I am the alpha amongst them, after all.

* * *

It was lunch time already, Mirajane, Erza, Levy, and Wendy Marvell went outside to the school grounds to eat their lunch. They planned to go to their usual spot under the cherry blossom tree, but Lucy dragged them somewhere else, saying a change in pace would be so bad every now and then. "Lucy, you've been quite off a bit." Erza told the tense blonde as they made way to the school garden. "E-eh?" Lucy started sweating a bit. "What do you mean Erza?" She tried saying in a straight voice. "Hm, yes Lucy, you've been a bit out of character since this morning. I mean, usually, you'd never been distracted in class before." Mirajane placed her hand on her cheek thoughtfully and looked questioningly and worriedly at Lucy. "Lucy got distracted in class?" The little blue-haired campus-cutie and sister eye's widened at this. "Yeah, what's up Lu-chan?" Levy inquired too, tilting her head sideways. _"Oh great, my friends think there's something going on with me."_ Lucy mentally yelled waving her hands in front of her, thinking of a way to explain, when suddenly, they heard a ruckus coming their way.

"What did you say, Popsicle?!" Shouted a loud and annoyed voice.

"You heard me. No wonder you're so dumb, you always sleep in class! You were drooling so much too!" An equally loud and annoyed voice yelled back.

"Ah, both of you are idiots." Said a _very_ annoyed voice.

"Ice-head!"

"Flame-brain!"

"Stripper!"

"Pyromaniac!"

Their other companion, Gajeel Redfox, clicked his tongue in annoyance at the two, Natsu and Gray Fullbuster. "Are you two arguing again?!" Erza boomed, striding closer to the two arguing monkeys. "Of course not, Erza!" Natsu called out, slapping his hand on Gray's shoulder, grinning nervously. "We're the best of friends, right, Natsu, pal?" Gray slapped his hand on Natsu's shoulder, plastering a grin at Erza. While the two pretended to be friends in front of Erza, Gajeel walked closer over to us, mostly near Levy, who was leaning on a tree. They talked for bit before Natsu yelled over to Gajeel. "Yo! Lightning rod! Come on, we have to go buy food!" Scowling at Nastu, he said goodbye to all the girls and walked over to Natsu and Gray.

* * *

"So Levy..." Lucy started, playing around with her rice a bit, "what did you and Gajeel talk about?!" She spoke energetically at her friend, who nearly choked on her smoked salmon sandwich. The blunette turned red, trying to answer. "Wha-what do you me-mean, Lu-chan?" She stuttered while coughing a bit. "I mean, what were you discussing? I know I heard something like 'I had a great time,' so?" Lucy elaborated further.

Levy coughed once more and blushed, "I was only pet-sitting his cat. And I thought him how to take care of him" she replied shyly, knowing Mirajane would have tiny stars glittering in front of her, visualizing the two's future children, and scheming of a way to get the two together. "Since when has Gajeel-san had a cat?" Wendy asked, stopping midway from feeding herself her ham roll. "Just recently, he named him Panther Lily," Levy giggled at the name, "isn't it cute?" she asked to one in particular, still giggling at the memory, receiving a small laugh from Erza and Lucy and a giggling nod from Wendy.

The very popular group of girls continued eating with the occasional gossip or giggle. "Oh Erza!" Exclaimed Mirajane, clapping her hands to get the red-head's attention. "Yes, Mira?" Erza looked up from her mini strawberry-shortcake cupcake, "How are you and your boyfriend doing?" she smiled sweetly at the student-disciplinarian, who was turning as red as her hair. The girls laughed at their friend's reaction. Erza and Jellal's been dating for about 6 months already, Mirajane helped the two express their feelings for the other, upholding her name as "The Matchmaker".

"You and Jellal have been dating for so long, and you still can't stop blushing at the word 'boyfriend' Erza-chan?" Levy laughed, looking at the still-blushing Erza. "Really, Erza, you have to stop being so conservative about 'Jellal' and 'boyfriend' being in the same thought of sentence," Lucy laughed, clutching her stomach, because of the pain from laughing too much. "look at Wendy, she doesn't get so flustered when mention Romeo to her now." Gesturing to a giggling Wendy, who turned light pink from the sudden attention. "Wha- Romeo and I aren't-" Wendy started when Mirajane interrupted in, "Ne, Wendy and Romeo both like each other, right? The two of you will look adorable together!" her eyes were sparkling at the thought. The girls laughed again at this, but Wendy was flustered again, and blushing like Erza was earlier.

"And how about me and blondie over here?" A voice asked from behind the bush Lucy was sitting by, when an arm came out of the bush and grabbed Lucy by the waist, pulling her near to the bush. A second later, Sting walked out of the bush, pulling Lucy up to stand, leaning on his chest, beside him. Lucy shrieked quietly while Erza and Levy stood up looking distressed and quite annoyed, Wendy looked worried and confused at Lucy then to Sting, while Mirajane kept calm smiling patiently at the pale-blonde, quite happy with another couple to pair up, but quite annoyed and distressed at the male's lack of delicacy.

"Hello, Sting-kun. You do know that you shouldn't be here." She asked patiently at the man who was pressing Lucy closer to himself, making her hit him repeatedly in the chest. "Yeah, I know," Sting smirked at the platinum-white haired beauty, "So leave." Erza angrily spat poison-laced words to the trespassing Sabertooth student. "but, I like being with Blondie over here." He said, pulling her closer t him, pressing her body against his, and placing his face close to hers, making her turn her head away. "Darn it Sting. Let me go!" She pushed her hands against his chest, trying to distance herself from him, but obviously failing, due to the huge difference in strength. "Awwe, Lucy, don't need to be so shy." Sting leaned closer to her, their faces just an inch away from each other. "Let go, Sting!" Lucy blushed faintly from embarrassment of their position and hoe close his face is to hers, he could kiss her if he leaned in closer.

Her friends couldn't do anything but hold Erza back from killing the harassing male, since it was against school regulations to fight with those from other school, Fairy Tail Academy has been on probation for numerous fights. Lucy kept hitting and punching and pushing Sting's chest with all her might, clearly knowing it was absolutely useless to do so.

"Let go of her." A strong and deep voice said from behind Lucy and Sting, and a hand grabbing Sting's collar from behind and twisting the hand Sting had on Lucy's waist with the man's free hand. "What the-?!" Sting called out, surprised from the voice, movement and pain, all at the same time.

"My Princess said to let her go." They all turned to the owner of the hand and voice, to see a calm, serious handsome face with messy, pointy strawberry-orange hair in a deep chestnut brown suit.

"Don't ever, touch my Princess." He said.

* * *

**C/N: I made Loke and Sting meet, see, see, seeeee? XD**

**I'm sorry the update took so long, inspiration's ****elusive, and I couldn't write. Thanks for the review by the way! :D**

**_"I'm not mad. My reality is just different from yours."_  
**


	4. My Love

** kerri leilua321: No. Not YET. Wait for further chapters for the response, and mark as in the mark on her hand. More or less. It's quite difficult to explain, I'm sorry. Actually, I'm not quite sure what it is. XD  
But I've the story planned out. More or less. So it'll clear up sooner or later!  
**

**C/N: I'm on a roll here, woo! I've got three different fan fictions I'm writing all together and inspiration's coming along now too. Anyway, I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. This is a figment of my imagination. Fairy Tail is by Hiro Mashima.**

* * *

"Loke!" Lucy cried out, to the male standing behind Sting, twisting the latter's arm. "Lu-chan, you know this guy?"Levy asked with panic painted across her petite face. "Lucy, violence is not allowed in school, direct or indirect." Erza said in a serious tone, but had worry in her eyes. "I know, I'm sorry. Loke, let Sting go." She sternly told Loke. "But Lucy, was he not bothering you?"He asked, not taking his serious eyes off the harassing blonde. "He was, but I'm not exactly fond of the idea of others getting hurt because of me." Lucy practically yelled at Loke, only making him scowl at Sting and twist his arm more. "Or getting expelled." She added, and in an instant, making Loke drop the Sabertooth student. "Well, if that's the case," He said, straightening his suit jacket. "I do apologize then, but you best behave from now on, _sir_." Loke told the scowling boy, emphasizing the word "sir".

"Now, Princess, wha-" Loke was unable to finish his sentence, as Lucy had thrown the cloth she used to wrap her lunch box into his chest. He fell unceremoniously to the ground, baffled as to how she made such a thin and soft item become a football.

"Stupid Loke! Why couldn't you just stay up there in the other tree?!" Lucy yelled at Loke.

"You, uh, were in trouble and I-" Loke was cut off as Lucy went near him and nearly pulled his ear off.

"Ow ow ow! Lucy!" Loke cried out as his beloved "owner" pinched his ears.

"You are so stuborn, Loke!" Lucy said as she pouted. Lucy was about to start lecturing Loke, when they had heard someone clear their throat. "So, Lucy, would you introduce us to your," Mirajane had started, not knowing what to call the boy Lucy was scolding. "boyfriend?" Levy piped up, in a cheerful tone.

It took moments to register the thought to everyone. Sting scowled at the blue-haired girl, Lucy let go of Loke's ear, looking embarrassed and flabbergasted at the same time, Loke looked relieved from the pain, while looking also quite pleased and smug. Mirajane looked thoughtful, Erza chuckled lightly and Wendy was confused with the situation.

"What- no he is not!" Lucy stumbled over her own words, flustered, mentally cursing herself for being careless with her actions and with Loke. Loke looked smug with the thought, and lightly ruffled Lucy's hair. "Come on now, Princess, don't look so flustered." He chuckled at his "fiance's" pink face. "Loke." Lucy said in a threatening voice, making him chuckle nervously.

Sting was annoyed with the sight. He clicked his tongue audibly and turned to leave. "Leaving already, Sting-kun?" Mirajane asked too cheerfully, smiling sweetly at the retreating back of the blonde male. Scowling, Sting waved his hand without looking at the group. "Yeah, bye." He left, something boiling in the bottom of his stomach.

The group looked at the retreating male, Lucy looking sorry at him, since he was hurt by Loke, while Loke smirked at the leaving figure, as the group heard the bell go off.

* * *

The girls lamented over the pop quizzes they just finished while getting ready to leave for home. "What is wrong with teachers and giving pop quizzes in a row like that?" Lucy moaned. "I know right? It's like they're trying to kill us." Levy sighed as Erza silently agreed and Mirajane had let out an exhausted breath. The four were exchanging what they had answered in the quiz, when they heard an exaggerated squeal. Turning to see the source of it, they were greeted by a snickering Gray. "Oi, Lucy, some guy's here for you."

Curious, the group followed Gray out, to see a swarm of girls. "Gray, how is this anywhere near a 'guy'?" Lucy asked, extending her arm, gesturing to the swarm. "Wait for it." Gray snickered and smirked.

"Princess!" An arm waved and a voice called from the middle of the swarm. The squealing girls parted as the figure in the middle made his way to the group of girls outside the swarm. "Lucy!" The voice called out. _"Oh dear founder, Mavis, please let it not be true."_ Lucy groaned as she face-palmed, trying to hide her face. "Lucy, I came to bring you home." Loke, emerging from the disappointed and whispering swarm of gossiping girls, smiled brightly at the tired blonde.

"Loke..." She said in a menacingly soft tone. "Uh, Lucy? So-some-thing wrong?" Loke took a step back, sweating a bit, from his "fiance", noticing the how her friends looked sympathetically at him, while Erza looked quite proud. "Loke. What in dear Mavis Vermillion's name are you doing inside the school's buildings?" She asked in a patient but tired threatening tone.

"I, um... uh, I..." Stumbling over words to calm the angry blonde.

"It was one thing to come into school grounds without proper formalities being done," she shook from anger, making the once squealing girls shriek. "The Demon-Titania's sister's up." A girl called in a high-falluting voice. "Now you done it, man." Gray shook his head at the male blonde, silently praying his condolences to the man. "You just don't go around pissing 'The Demon-Titania's sister' off like that. She's as bad as The Demon, Mira and Titania Erza themselves." Natsu laughed, coming from behind Gray.

"But going into school buildings is not tolerable by any means." Lucy calmly, but furiously stated, almost yelling at the suited man before her. Loke was speechless and shocked with Lucy's outburst, when she pulled him by the ear, adding string-after-string regulations and lectures, while Levy smiled sympathetically at him, Wendy looked worried but rather calm, and Mirajane looked calm as ever, but evidently worried at how things will end, as things were always unpredictable when Lucy became her nickname.

Natsu and Gray were grinning like dogs, happy to see someone else who was receiving the damage of Lucy. And Titania, she was as proud as as mother watching her child become a valedictorian. The Demon, Mira was quite proud too. Her "younger sister" learned so fast.

* * *

Loke hung his head in shame, after nearly an hour of lecturing from Lucy, as the girls walked to their favorite cafe to let Lucy cool some steam.

"Hm? Loke-kun, you look kinda down." Mirajane stated, looking back at the sulking male. "What? No, not really." He replied dumbly. "Don't worry Loke-kun, Lucy will be fine after her favorite wild-berry rose-petaled parfait with her favorite rose tea!" Levy piped up cheerfully. "She's calmer than Erza, so you should be thankful." Mirajane added thoughtfully, receiving a slightly relieved nod and sigh from their male companion.

"You said she'll be fine after her parfait and tea, right?" He asked smiling slightly at the two girls.

"Of course!" Levy giggled, as Mirajane, chuckled lightly.

* * *

It was a war of silence in Lucy room. Lucy didn't speak to Loke, who returned to looking like her cat when they entered her home, and Loke couldn't say a word, not knowing where or how to start. _"Fine after her favorite parfait and tea, my tail! She isn't yelling at me, but any word is better than this abominable silence!"_ He mentally cursed, slapped and hit himself, while he was, literally, banging his head on the wall for anything.

Breaking the silence, Lucy sighed. "You know I'm not happy with what you did, right?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest, her porcelain doll face, painted with hints of anger. "I know. And I'm sorry. I was just worried." Loke sighed in relief, from the break of silence, and from the only mild tone of anger in his beloved's voice. Lucy raised a shaped eye brow at the man's sudden sigh, but waved it away with her own.

"I can take care of myself, Loke." She dropped her hands, knitting her brows together.

"I understand that, Lucy, but I'm still really worried of you. Personally, if anything, I'm doing your father a favor." Placing a hand to his chest.

"My father stopped being exaggeratedly overprotective when I was 12!" Lucy yelled, frustrated at her companion, who held his hands up in surrender. "I don't want to argue with you, Princess. Why don't we compromise?" He suggested, opening his hands to his sides, wanting peace between him and her.

Letting out a breathe, Lucy agreed. "Fine. First of all, I don't want you stalking me around with this Mark of yours," She gestured to her hand. "But-" Cutting him off with her hand, Lucy added, "I can take care of myself. It's not like I go skydiving or anything." pouting. Sighing in defeat, Loke agreed. "Fine. But you have to tell me wherever you're going." He stated his demand.

"That's not fair!" Lucy called, stopped by Loke's sigh. "Neither is me being with you at all times." He looked up, and scrunched his nose. "That did not sound how I wanted it to." Mumbling audibly, causing Lucy to let out a small laugh. "Fine, but I don't want you going all 'Princess, Princess' on me anymore." She added. Loke slouched his shoulders and dropped his head to his side, looking genuinely disappointed.

He straightened up though, after a second, and smiled easily at the blonde girl. "Fine, but I will be calling you other nicknames instead." He smiled happily at her, while she was at a loss for words, then face-palmed herself. "Why didn't I think of saying that instead." She groaned quietly, which Loke obviously heard.

Sighing, "Fine. I suppose we will survive on those terms." she extended her hand to her companion. "Truce?"

"Truce."

Shaking hands and exchanging smiles, Lucy snapped her fingers in realization. "That's right. I want you to do something." She asked sweetly from him. Raising an eyebrow, he wondered what an independent girl like Lucy, would ask for. "Whatever you want, _Darling_." He emphasized the pet name he said, receiving a glare and pout from her, but was replaced with a, slightly irking, cheery smile.

"I want you to apologize to Sting." She said almost to cheerfully.

Loke's eyes widened, and left his mouth hanging open. "Lucy! Why the-" He was cut off by a hand to his mouth. "You yell louder than me, you might wake mama and papa up, or the neighbors. Or, God forbid, the evil's incarnate, Momo." She scrunched her nose at the name "Momo". He raised an eyebrow, "Momo?" he asked after she released his mouth. She scrunched her small nose again in distaste. "It's the evil's incarnate, don't ask." She held a hand up, indicating that the topic was not to be discussed, and shook her head.

Loke scratched his head in confusion, then cleared his throat and straightened his suit. "Well, back on topic, why do you want me to apologize to that boy. Sting, you said?" He asked, annoyed with the memory of what he recalled.

"You hurt him, Loke. I appreciate the thought of wanting to help me, but couldn't you have done it in a subtle way?" She placed a hand on her hip and pointed the other one at Loke. "At least within the week, I want you to apologize to him." She added.

Loke was clearly unhappy with his beloved's request, but as he said, and as he meant, he'd do anything she wants. "Fine." He agreed, letting out a frustrated breathe. She smiled fondly at his and pat his head. "Tell him I'm sorry too, I'll make it up to him somehow. Which does not include any harassment whatsoever. Seriously." She clicked her tongue and shook her head, making Loke chuckle.

Lucy stretched out, bending this way and that, "Well, now that we've made peace and you've decided to agree for peace, let's go to bed." She said as she yawned, pacing back to her bed, but turned around and pointed an accusing finger at Loke. "But I don't want to wake up to you hugging me tomorrow, got it?" She said in a playfully stern voice. He chuckled humorously, and bowed gentlemanly at her. "As you wish, My Princess." He winked at her.

She pouted at the petname, but waved it off with a sigh. "I'll let that go for tonight, Loke. Get some sleep, Kitty-Kat." She smiled playfully at him, then yawned. "Night, Loke." She closed her eyes. "Goodnight, Sweetheart." He said in a loving way, as he watched her fall asleep.

Loke walked up to Lucy, who was now fast asleep, brushed the hair from her face, and kissed the top of her head. "Sweet dreams, my Love." He said, staring at the sleeping blonde, before heading to his own make-shift bed, which was a collapsible couch-bed.

"Sweet dreams, Love." He whispered once again, before closing his eyes to sleep.

* * *

**C/N: I made a comedy/romance! And I have no idea how! I think I made it too cheesy, though. I mean, _darling?, my Love?_,**** I've been reading too much mushy romance. -_-  
**

**Anyway, how was it? Next chapter will be out in a week or so!  
**

**_"We're all mad here."_  
**


	5. Date

**C/N: Don't own Fairy Tail, y'all know that.**

* * *

"Loke." Lucy hovered over the sleeping figure sprawled over the couch in her room.

"LOKE." She repeated testily, in a threatening manner.

"Hm?" Loke finally responded, looking up slightly, with a disheveled sleepy look painted on his chiseled face. Lucy shifted her weight to her left and crossed her arms over her chest, pouting, "Loke, it's been nearly four days since you promised to apologize to Sting. Four days!" she nearly yelled at the groggy man.

It was last Monday when she made Lucy do as she requested, and was Thursday already.

Groaning, "Believe me, Princess, if I had thought of a way to apologize to that ba-_boy_,I would've done so days ago." he lamented as he unceremoniously dropped his head onto the pillow he was previously laying atop of.

Dropping her arms, she sighed. "I'm not asking you to make a presidential speech for the UN, I'm asking you to just go up to him and apologize. Short and simple!" She opened her arms to her sides wide, exasperated. In response, she heard a muffled sigh through the pillow. "What do you suppose I've been trying to think of?" He said, lifting his head from the pillow.

"It isn't quite easy to just 'go up to him' and apologize, as you think, Lucy. I've more pride than normal people." He sighed, shifting his position to sit up.  
Lucy frown and opened her mouth to say something, but was hushed by finger placed upon her soft rosy-pink lips. "I will apologize, don't you worry."

"When?"

"Ah, sometime soon? Around-"

"LOKE!"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding; tomorrow. I promise." He chuckled, scratching the top of his head. Sighing approvingly, Lucy pat him on his head. "Come on, Kitty, dinner's gonna be ready soon." She giggled as she saw Loke's brows furrow and pout slightly; he didn't like the nicknames she'd given him, but didn't complain, as it always somehow made his beloved smile and laugh. Standing up and stretching out, he pushed his blue-tinted glasses up and formed to a cat.

Scooping the strawberry-orange, white and brown tabby cat into her arms, Lucy made her way to the family's dinner room.

* * *

The family ate silently as they listened to the news.

"_The chain robbery and hostage-takings that has recently been happening though Fiore is suspected to be caused by the Phantom Lord. Citizens are advised to be wary and cautious as you leave your homes, secure your homes as you leave them, and it is most advisable to not be out so late..._"

"Tsk, crimes these days, terrible." The patriarch of the family shook his head as he heard the news. Lucy's mother placed a hand on her cheek worriedly. "Lucy, dear, best you come home straight away from school from now on." She said, looking at her daughter, worry clearly evident in her soft, placid voice. Lucy looked up from her meal, as her father nodded his head in agreement. "For your safety, Lucy." He added.

She sighed inwardly, there's no point in disagreeing with her parents, especially when they brought out the 'it's for your safety,' card. "Yes, yes. I understand." She replied, continuing to eat. "Where is the remote control for the blasted television. The news is starting to bore." Lucy's father mumbled to himself, looking at his sides, not getting up from his seat.

"_Mreow._" The father looked down and smirked slightly. "Here it is." He exclaimed, reaching down. "That cat of yours is quite the well-train pet, Lucy." He spoke quite amused, glancing at the cat as it made its way back to its corner with food, while changing the channel. Lucy smirked inwardly and beamed happily at her father.

For the past days, Loke has been quite the suck-up to her father; getting the thing he needs while cooped up in his study, searching for whatever he's pinning for, bringing snacks to him while focusing on his work, everything. He's even the suck-up to her mother, whenever her daughter and husband's busy doing whatever, going around, helping in whatever his paws can manage, and bring food to her them when they're too busy to come down and eat.

Looking over to her cat, she could practically see Loke's shimmering ghostly figure leaning easily on the wall, smirking, while the cat looked at her, a smug and mischievous glint in its onyx-blue feline eyes. She chuckled and continued eating.

* * *

Lucy stretched while yawning, she'd just finished her homework and was ready to go to bed. "Loke, I'm gonna go t- Loke?" She stopped mid-sentence, when she saw that her companion wasn't in his usual place. Standing up from her study table, she walked to the middle of the room, scratching her head. "Where could that cat possibly go?" Her voice trailed off as she looked around the room.

"Lucy!" Loke's voice called out from outside her room's window. She spun around to see him crouching on the window edge. "Loke-!" She yelled, "I'm going out for a bit, I'll be back tomorrow, in time to apologize to String!" as he called, somersaulting to the ground. Lucy ran to open the window, just to see Loke land on his feet and brush his suit as he started to walk away.

_Cats. Always landing on their feet._ She rolled her eyes and speaking to herself quite sarcastically. "His name is Sting! And take care!" She called out, watching Loke as he walked away into the darkness, waving without looking back.

Closing the window, Lucy sighed. She'd have her room to herself, but seemed lonely. Slapping her cheeks lightly, she kept her spirits up. "He won't be gone for long, get over yourself!" She said to herself, walking over to her bookshelf. _"And if he doesn't?" _A voice popped up from the back of her head

"He will. He said so himself."

_"And you believe him? Entirely?"_

"Of course. Silly brain."

_"When did you become so dependent on him, ne?"_

She froze for a second from what she just asked herself. _I'm not dependent on him. I'm just... used to him being around._ She brushed it off.

_"Of course. Used to him being around. That's _only _it."_

"Yes. It is." She hushed the voice in her mind as she picked up a book and headed toward her bed.

* * *

Loke was walking around the town. I was dawn already, having finished his "business" early, around 4, he thought. He was thinking of returning to Lucy's room, but decided against it, fearful of the thick hardbound book that might be thrown his way if her woke his mistress up. Chuckling, he decided to walk around the block until the sun came up and then would return to his beloved.

Nearing the park, he saw the silhouette of a man. _Who would've thought that somebody would be up this early?_ The suited man asked to himself. Nearing the figure, he recognized the boy as the rude fellow that harassed his beloved Lucy. He growled low at the boy, but remembered his promise to Lucy. Sighing, he neared the boy.

"Hey." He called to the blonde.

"You." Sting responded, frowning. Smirking, Loke scoffed quietly. "Don't be so prissy, man. I'm here to apologize." He said, placing his hands into his pocket, staring at the part of Lucy's home. Narrowing his eyes, Sting looked unconvinced. "What's your aim?"

Scoffing louder, Loke turned to him, smirking. "Aim? My- Lucy made me apologize to you. She also said that she'd make it up to you, somehow."

Raising a brow, Sting smirked. Irked by his change of mood, "But you have to behave. No needless physical interaction." Loke added, frowning. Sting's smirk growing larger, her casually placed her arms behind his head. "Yeah, I know. It's just fun to see her squirm." He turned and grabbed a hand towel, taking off his visibly damp sleeveless shirt.

Loke frowned, how unbelievably rude of the man to take off his shirt while he was conversing with him, he commented silently. "Like what you see, dude?" Sting taunted, smirking widely. Frowning deeper, the suited man chastised the boy with a fierce glare. "I like Lucy better." Loke retorted with a scoff, immediately wiping off Sting's smirk and replacing it with a deep frown and making Loke smirk.

"If we're done here, I'll be going, Lucy'll be up around now." Loke said, looking at Lucy's home again, turning around to leave. "Yo," Sting called out. "Name's Loke, boy." The strawberry-blonde replied not turning around, continuing to walk. "You said that Blondie would make it up to me right?" The other blonde asked, ignoring what the other had said, smirking evident in his tone.

Loke stopped in his tracks. Turning his head slightly he glared at the half-dressed blonde. "You're blonde too, Einstein, but yes, she did say that." He rolled his eyes. "Good." Sting smirked wider as Loke glared more fiercely and turned to face him properly. "What?" He frowned. "Nothing, I know how she'll make it up to me, though." He said in a smug tone.

_I swear to God, I'll rip this idiot's face off someday,_ Loke had a string of colorful words he wanted to yell out the blonde, whose only facial reactions he was capable of were either smirks, smug looks, anger and/or frowns or tauntings. It was incredibly bothersome and annoying, much to Loke's dismay, that this _boy_, was interested in Lucy.

Letting out an annoyed huff, Loke kept his temper. "Fine. I'll tell Lucy." He grit his teeth. "No." Sting frowned, reaching out to the suited man. "What?" Loke kept calm, but was boiling inside. Stuffing his hands into his sweatpants pockets, the blonde boy looked bored at the man in front of him. "Don't tell her. Just escort me to her, I'm not quite allowed alone in their school."

Frowning, Loke sighed. "Do I look like a wingman for you?" Rolling his eyes before sighing in exhaustion once again. "Whatever, I promised Lucy I'd apologize and pass the message." He turned to leave. "She'd be free of debt if you help out." Sting called. Stopping to glance of his shoulder at the smirking blonde, Loke sighed. "Fine. If it'll get you off her and my case." Loke replied continuing to walk towards Lucy's house as Sting pumped his fist in the air in triumph.

* * *

*Sigh* Lucy sighed once again, fixing her things to get home. "Lucy, you alright? You've been sighing all day." Erza inquired, walking up to the blonde girl from behind. "Hm? Oh yeah, Erza. Just a little tired that's all." Lucy smiled weakly at her friend.

It was true, Lucy was up most of the night arguing with herself about _someone_, and she's been worried of Loke not coming home. _He said he'd be home by tomorrow. Stupid cat._ She huffed in her mind. "Maybe it's because her boyfriend didn't come?" Wendy supplied, earning a horrified look from Lucy, sending a mental message, "_What. No. WENDY, WHY?_", and a mischievous gleam from Mirajane.

Groaning, Lucy face-palmed with both her hands, "WHY?" she moaned aloud. "Lu-chan! You never told me anything!" Levy yelled, puffing her cheeks. "_WHY?!_" Lucy half-cried, half-groaned, face-palming again with both her hands, making her friends laugh.

"Oi, Lucy, someone's outside waiting for you." Jet called from the doorway. "Who?" Lucy asked, bringing her face up from her hands. "Some guy, just said they'd wait for ya." He shrugged. "Levy, we're still on for Saturday, right?" Jet changed the subject. "Yea-huh." Levy gave a thumbs up while nodding. "Great, we'll meet ya at the park." He grinned before leaving.

"Levy...?" Wendy piped looking curious with a hint of mischief in her innocent brown orbs. "I'm helping him and Droy with math. What?" Levy defended herself. "You know those two got crushes on you, right?" Lucy nudged her bestfriend in the should with her own, winking mischievously at her. Frowning, Levy shook her head. "Seriously, where do you guys come up with these." Levy looked to the heavens with an exasperated sigh. Everyone laughed.

"Though it is true, Levy. They're just scared of Gajeel." Erza said, smiling. "You too, Erza?" Levy sighed. "Let's just go to see who's looking for Lucy, shall we?" She gestured to the door, making Lucy groan. They all got up as they laughed at Lucy's, once again, sudden change in mood.

* * *

"Loke?" Lucy said, mildly shocked and surprised but feeling oddly happy. "Hey, Princess." He smiled weakly at the her. "Where have you been? How come you come only now?" She queried, curious, worry and a hint of annoyance in her tone and milky-brown eyes. "Well," Loke avoided her gaze. "I've been, _busy_," He scratched his head nervously. "Loke." Lucy frowned.

"Hey, Blondie." A voice called from behind the strawberry-blonde. "Sting, what are you doing here?"Erza asked, frowning that, once again, the Sabertooth student came to bother the Fairies. "Relax, Titania. I wanted to talk to Lucy." Sting claimed in a calm tone, walking over, hands in pockets, in front of the blonde beauty. "You do?" She asked mildly surprised, glancing over to her "cat".

"I apologized as you requested." I raised his hands in front of him defensively. "And passed on the message." Sting added, smirking slightly. "Message?" Lucy repeated, tilting her head to the side, slightly confused with the information. "_Your_ message, Blondie." Sting hunched over, eye-level to Lucy, who backed away instinctively.

"Message," She thought, "Oh, th-that message." she said cautiously, not looking at either boys or her friends who were dying of curiosity. "Remember?" Sting stood straight as Lucy nodded yes. "Good, 'cause I know how you'll make it up to me." He smiled at her.

Lucy was taken aback. Sting Eucliff, _the_ Sting Eucliff, smiling so, _kindly_, at her. She thought the teen could only smirk or sneer ever so, but not quite smile so warmly, so kindly, so _cutely_, as the girl thought of it.

"Oh? How so?" She squeaked out.

Now grinning wide, Sting spoke heartily. "Go on a date with me."

* * *

**C/N: Wahaha! How was it? Worth the wait, I hope. If you noticed the time-skip, I'm too lazy to write it down; and besides, it didn't have anything interesting so much, unless you want a detailed paragraph on how Lucy gets ready for school. XD  
Anyway, I apologize for the rather "late" update. Hell week, you know? Well, I'm rambling. 'Til the next update! C'est la vie!  
**

**_"I'm not mad. My reality is just different from yours."_  
**


	6. Lover's Spat

**C/N: Remember, I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

"D-date?" Lucy spat at the now smirking blonde Sabertooth student. "Wha-" She blushed a shade of red as the blonde boy grinned wide and ruffled her hair. "Yo, chill. I'll give you five minutes to think it over." He laughed, turning around, hands behind his head, whistling a tune.

_What the heck happened?_ Lucy asked herself, mouth hanging agape.

"Loke, what was that about?" She turned to her cat. "In all honesty? I have no idea." He sighed in exasperation. "He asked me to come with him to see you, and I did. Look how it all turned out." He grumbled frustrated. She stared incomprehensibly at the suited man and sighed. "Will you go?" He asked, hurriedly. "Go? With Sting on the date?" She answered/questioned. Loke nodded vehemently. "I'm not quite sure myself." She answered with a sigh, taking hold of the back of her neck, looking the other direction.

"Lucy!" Mirajane's voice called from behind them. Clasping Lucy's hand in her own, Mira's eyes sparkled in delight. "Oh my, Lucy! This is quite the development!" She exclaimed, visualizing the two blonde's children in her mind. "You better hope Mira's visualizing your and Sting's kids with your brains, Lucy." Erza chuckled, joining the two beauties and the suited knockout.

"Erza," Lucy groaned, trying to get Mirajane out of her fantasy world. Mira smiled sweetly at the blonde and turned to look at the man behind her.

"You're Lucy's suitor, yes?" She smiled slyly. "Mirajane!" Lucy cried, turning red. "Uh, suitor? Well...see," Loke stumbled for the right words to explain his and the aforementioned's relationship, without getting himself inevitably killed.

"Loke, don't you dare!" Lucy hissed, turning back to her platinum-haired friend. "Mirajane, really?" She sighed, as the motherly matchmaker chuckled and shrugged. "It would be rude if you agreed on going on a date with Sting-kun if your suitor was here, Loke was it?" She smiled, receiving a weak smile and nod from the strawberry-blond and an exhausted sigh from Lucy. "Loke is _not_ my suitor, and we are _not_ dating." She answered.

"Perfect!" Mirajane clapped, pulling Lucy toward the awaiting blonde male.

"About time." He grinned.

"Sting-kun, when do you plan on you and Lucy's date?" Mirajane happily asked.

"So you agree on going on a date with me?" Sting grinned wider, turning to the blonde beauty beside the other beauty.

"She is." Mira answer for her friend, very cheerfully.

"I am?" A shocked response came from Lucy.

"She is?!" A furious, demanding tone came from Loke.

"Is she?" A confused and urging tone came from Sting as he frowned.

"She will. Won't you?" Mira cheerfully replied, nudging Lucy gently.

"Well, I guess..." She rubbed the back of her head, unsure of what will happen.

"Awesome." The blonde boy grinned happily again. "On Saturday, I'll pick you up by the park at 9." He smiled at the rather anxious girl, who nodded slowly in response. "See you then." He said, stooping down to Lucy's height, placing a small kiss on her nose.

"Bye Blondie, take care going home." He turned around, waving at the girl without looking at her, chuckling loudly as Lucy held onto her nose, a dumbfounded expression on her beet-red face.

* * *

"What a day." Lucy sighed loudly, slumping into her bed. "I'll say." Loke grumbled, leaning on the girl's closet. "Are you seriously going?" He asked, slightly annoyed. Sitting up, the blonde girl shrugged. "I already agreed. Beside, I _did_ say I'd make it up to him, and this seems the most reasonable, in my opinion."

"Couldn't you just tutor him or something?" He pressed on, frowning in annoyance. "I mean, it would benefit him more, considering how idiotic he is most of the time." Loke sneered, looking away from the blonde girl. "Loke, that isn't very nice." She frowned, getting up from her bed. "Neither is he, sweetheart." He grumbled.

"Loke, honestly, _what_ is wrong with you?" She sighed and stared intently at the man. "Nothing." He crossed his arms, not looking at his mistress. "Nothing, my butt, Leo." She scoffed, marching up in front of him. "Out with it, man. What's the deal?" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"There's no 'deal', Lucy. Nothing's wrong." He huffed, still frowning.

"_That_ is the 'deal', Loke!" She barked. "You're acting like some sort of fussy, moody, _guy._ I have no idea what the heck is wrong with you." She nearly yelled at him. "You disappear the whole night, last night, half-worrying me to death, and reappear all of a sudden the next day, as I'm about to go home, and get all moody and tantrum throw-y when I get a date. Seriously!" She stomped her foot angrily at the last part.

"You're acting like some sort of-" She held her hand palms-up, shoulder level, looking at her left then right, fuming. "I don't even know!" She finished her sentence, her face slightly red from the anger.

Loke avoided the frantic girl's gaze, annoyed with the blonde boy, Sting, and with himself. He frowned, crossing his arms over his chest, as his forehead creased with wrinkled.

"Gah! You are IMPOSSIBLE!" She yelled, messed her own hair, stomping out of her own room.

Once the girl was out of the room, Loke slapped himself on the face, slumping onto the couch. "Smooth, Loke," He said through clenched teeth, angrily and frustrated. "_real_ smooth." He rubbed his temples, extremely angry.

And extremely jealous.

* * *

Levy and Wendy looked over at each other worriedly, Lucy was in a bad mood all morning, she even snapped at the teacher. Mirajane and Erza were worried as well, Lucy never had such a face on longer than an hour, but she came to school with an angry look, a scowl and a sack-load of snarky retorts to those unfortunate enough to say something relatively stupid in front of her.

"Lucy, something wrong?" Wendy piped up, worry evident in her soft, timid voice.

"No. Nothing's wrong." Lucy responded as gently as her temper would let her, knowing that it would be wrong of her to snap at Wendy. "Something bad happen at home?" Mira asked. "No." Lucy answer, pausing for a millisecond before shoving food into her mouth. Finishing off her lunch, Lucy stood up, brushing off the crumbs on her skirt and turned to her friends. "I'm going ahead, I'll be in the library is you need me." She said laconically, marching toward the school building, leaving her friends to stare and sigh.

Lucy stomped in a quick pace toward the school's library, all evening last night, she'd been in a nasty mood, even her parents noticed. She and Loke haven't spoken a word to each other, she very angry at the male's actions and inability to apologize, he very frustrated at a matter Lucy had absolutely no idea of._ Darned cat. Stupid, stupid Loke. What the heck is wrong with that twat._ Series of "curses" flew through her mind as she marched to her destination.

While walking, she felt her pocket vibrate. Digging her phone from her pocket, she frowned at the unregistered number that flashed through her screen.

"_Oi, what time's your curfew? Do you have a curfew, anyway?_" The text message read. She frowned more, who the heck was this person, and why were they asking for her curfew?

"_And who might you be?_" She replied to the number, pocketing it as soon as it sent the message, receiving the reply moments later.

"_Aw, don't you know me, Blondie?_" Was the only response.

"_Sting?_" She replied. She knew only _that_ blonde idiot would call her 'Blondie'.

"_The one and only, doll. ;)_" Came the response. She rolled her eyes. _Quite the fast typer._ She thought, encoding her own response.

"_Those are the most disgusting nicknames, EVER, Sting._" She sent, scrunching her nose in mock distaste.

"_Aww, I thought it was cute. Back on track, do you and what is your curfew?_" He replied. Lucy snorted, why was he so fussy about her curfew? "_Why do you ask?_" She postponed giving him a straight reply. "_So I know how long I can have you. ;)_"

She stuck her tongue out, turning her head to the side in disgust. "_Gross, Sting._" Was all she could reply. "_HA! Now get on with it. Do you?_" He pressed, making Lucy chuckled slightly. "_My curfew's_ _at six, right now._" She replied. "_Daw, why so early?_" He bawled in text, as Lucy decided to go to the rooftop instead of the library. _He's kinda cute when he's tolerable__._ Lucy chuckled, marching up the stairs that led to her destination.

"_Because of the series of crimes, my parents are real worried and don't want me out so late._"

"_Tch, princesses. _"

"_Get off my case, Mr. Eucliff._" She stuck her tongue out at her phone as she sent the message. "_How/where did you get my number anyway?_" She sent a minute later after her first message. She sat down by the shaded part of the rooftop, tucking her legs to one side and leaning on the wall behind her. "_I bashed it out of your spiky orange-head last_ _night,_"He sent back to the blonde, who frowned.

She wasn't quite sure why she seemed upset over Sting's reply, but she was. She felt angry, at Loke and at Sting, and offended at Sting for thinking he was better than Loke. Her eyes widened in surprise at what she thought. _Weird._ She exhaled.

"_Mirajane gave it to me last night, I owe her one._" He finally gave a straight answer. Lucy sighed, she should've known. "_Typical. Well, bye Sting, classes will start soon._" She sent her last text to her conversation partner, before pocketing the gadget and getting up to return to her classroom.

* * *

"You look happy." Mirajane chirped, looking relieved at her blonde friend whose sour face and drearily foul mood drastically changed. "Probably found a new good book?" Erza asked, smiling slightly to her friend. "Well," She looked away, scratching her cheek. "I found something... nice to read." She chuckled, sitting down on her seat. "Eh? There's no new book in the library that I know of." Levy spoke, placing a finger under her chin thoughtfully.

"Perhaps Lucy found something else interesting to read." Mirajane smiled innocently sweet, giving a hinted suggestion. Erza, Wendy and Levy gave a curious look at their platinum-haired model of a friend. Lucy looked over to Mirajane in mock surprise, chuckling to herself lowly, as her friend gave a sly smile at the group as the bell rang, indicating the start of class, and the end of the student's idleness.

* * *

_Stupid, stupid... Damned, insufferable... Darn it! _Loke sulked in one corner of the Heartfilia household, as a cat. He's been in a terrible mood since yesterday, it was unbearable really. "Hm? Something wrong, Loke?" Layla Heartfilia, the mother of his beloved Lucy, stood over him, smiling gently at the cat.

"_Mreow._" He replied, his tone held his sulky and mopey mood. Crouching over the cat, Layla scratched the back of the cat's ear. "Had a fight with Lucy, I suppose?" She asked in a sympathetic tone. Loke simply stared at the motherly mirror image of his mistress. "Don't worry, you and she will make up sooner or later, just nuzzle around her." She chuckled, getting up.

"She's a bit of a handful, sometimes, but she's a dear, she is." She smiled tenderly at the cat, heading back to the kitchen. _What a woman. _Loke thought in amazement, his mistress' mother seemed just to know what was wrong just by staring. _Mother's instincts. Females just cease to amazed me._ Loke chuckled in his mind as he got up and followed the matriarch to the kitchen.

"Oh? Getting lonely now?" She sweet asked him as he entered the place. "_Meow._" He purred. Chuckling, she bent to scratch the back of his ear.  
"Well, since you're here, why don't I tell you a bit of Lucy, it would be easier to get along with her if you know as much as me about her." She smiled. Loke perked her ears, intending to listen carefully to every word the mother would say. _I might be able to win her over this way!_ He sang happily to himself as Layla began telling him stories of her daughter.

* * *

"Hello mother." Lucy sang as she went to kiss her mother's cheek. "Oh, you seem to be in a better mood." Her mother smiled, patting the younger blonde on the head tenderly. "Well, I guess." Lucy lightly blushed, rubbing the back of her head. Chuckling, her mother poured a cup of tea for herself and her daughter. "Anything interesting happen at school today?" She asked, as any mother would.

"Well, I think Levy and Gajeel are dating, and oh! Romeo confessed to Wendy!" Lucy happily cried, clasping her hands in front of her, eyes twinkling. "Romeo, Conbolt? That sweet boy who idolizes Natsu-kun?" Her mother asked. Lucy nodded. "Yep, I just hope he doesn't turn out so much like Natsu." She sighed, making her mother chuckle. "Well I'm quite happy for the two, didn't you say that Wendy-chan's always had a crush on that boy?" Layla asked, quite interested in the topic.

"I told you before? Yes, we were all so ecstatic that Romeo finally confessed and that she agreed." She giddy from the memory. "Well, I'm waiting for the day you bring home a man, dear." The older of the blonde smiled sweetly at the, now blushing, younger one. "Mother!" She cried.

"Well dear, you're no cactus." Layla chuckled, recalling once that, nearly all the boys in her school drooled as her daughter and her friends passed by. Lucy pouted and puffed up her cheeks, crossing her arms over her chest, a cute mannerism she'd do whenever the family were discussing something she didn't particularly like.

"Oh, speaking of which," Lucy started, stopping from her posing, "I'll be going out tomorrow, is that alright?" she asked.

"Out?" Her mother raised a brow and smiled slightly. "A date, Lucy?" She asked, ever so sweetly. "Kind of." Lucy said slowly, rubbing the back of her head, looking another direction. Layla as taken aback, she didn't quite expect that answer from her daughter, but smiled again. "Alright, I'll tell your father, but I would appreciate it if the boy came here first." She said, wanting to see whoever her daughter was interested in, or vise versa.

She nodded curtly. "I'll ask him if he could, he might not know where we live though." She answered. "It's fine if he can't, I'm just saying that it would be good if he came over to fetch you, that's all." Her mother replied in an understanding tone.

"Alright, I'll be going up now, mother, I have a test a paper in history to write." The young blonde sighed as she got up and her mother chuckled and nodded.

"Oh, Lucy," Her mother called as she was going up the stairs. "You should make peace with Loke, the little thing was moping all day in that corner of his." Layla sighed, placing a hand on her cheek thoughtfully. "Moping? That confusingly moody cat?" Lucy scrunched her nose in distaste, turning to her mother. "Yes, Lucy. He seem very depressed." She smiled patiently at her daughter. "That little cat loves you dearly." She added knowingly.

Lucy's heart skipped a beat._Hold on. Why?_ Lucy asked her heart, confused as to why it skipped a beat like that. Layla Heartfilia, noticed her daughter's distraught, seeing as though the girl looked around at the ground, and smiled slightly. "Go on now, Lucy." She said before turning around to go back to the kitchen.

* * *

Loke laid sprawled on his own bed as Lucy entered her room. _He's asleep._ She thought, seeing as though he didn't get up when Lucy opened the door. _Or ignoring you._ The voice in her head snorted at her. "Shut up, brain. No one asked you." She mumbled to herself.

Without changing out of her uniform, Lucy immediately went over to her closet to choose the clothes she'd be wearing for her date with Sting. _Something comfortable, but not a dress. _She thought, thinking that, since it was Sting, they'd do something, sort of, _adventurous_, if you will.

Twenty minute of rummaging through clothes, sticking tongues at various shirts, reminiscing over clothes that she received, and debating which old shirts to give and which ones to keep, she found the best outfit. She'd found a grey and black jumper shorts to wear over a white off the shoulder fit shirt and a pair of brown flat belted boots. She found a nice cream-colored beret and a thin powder blue scarf.

"Lucy?" Loke called with a drowsy voice. Spinning around to meet Loke's gaze, she involuntarily giggled. It was a cute sight, she commented, a freshly woken up Loke, rubbing his eyes with a sleepy expression on his normally handsome, chiseled face.

"Hey, Loke." Lucy greeted with a small smile. Loke seemed to wake up and turned away, rubbing the back of his neck, a tiny frown on his lips. "Uhh... hey..." He said. "So, how was-where are you going?" He turned to Lucy as he interrupted his first sentence with a question focused on the clothes in the young blonde's hands. "Going? Oh these, for my date with Sting tomorrow." She simply said, hanging the clothes on a hanger hook that was on the side of her closet.

Loke frowned. "You're actually going?" He pressed. Lucy frowned. "Yes. I am." She crossed her arms over her chest. The man sighed and got up. "Really, Lucy, why? What's the point?" He held his hands up, now face-to-face with the visibly irritated blonde.

"The point? I promised to make it up to him, Loke." She said, withholding her sharp tongue and fierce temper. "And you go along with it that he asks for a date?" He pressed, his arms now extended at his sides.

"It could be worse, Loke." She snapped. "Oh?" He retorted with a snort.

"Yes. Would you just please get off my case, Loke?" She growled at him, walking past him to her bathroom. Loke, not liking being pushed aside like that, grabbed her wrist. "I would, if you would think reasonably about this." He calmly said.

Lucy turned around absolutely furious. "I AM thinking reasonably here, _Loke._" She yelled but hissed his name out. "YOU," She exaggerated, poking him on the chest, "Aren't." she growled angrily at him. "How am I not thinking reasonably?" He demanded in an angry but calm tone.

"Exactly!" She yelled, "How is it with the way your acting, you are _not_ thinking reasonably?!" absolutely furious. "The way _I'm_ acting?" Loke half-yelled, angry with the mock demand of Lucy. "Yes, the way your acting!" She yelled. "Can you see how you're acting?" She threw her hands straight in front of her. "Can you?!" Loke yelled at her.

"Grief! I swear, you act like some sort of, absurd _husband_, sometime!" She huffed. "And you, some sort of ridiculous _wife_!" He retorted loudly.

The two stood there, literally, face-to-face with each other, panting, staring at the other. Moments later, the two started laughing. "Alright, Loke, I apologize." Lucy said, in between giggles. "Me too, sorry." Loke replied, chuckling.

"But seriously though, what's with your weird moody attitude?" She asked, calming down. "Eh," Loke started, eye slightly twitching with his lopsided smile. Sighing, Lucy took a towel and headed for the bathroom. "Whatever, I'll let it go. We'd just start fighting again." She waved her hand dismissively. Loke sighed in relief.

"But, really," The blonde stopped, turning her head to look at the suited heartthrob, "Don't act like that again." She pointedly said, frowning slightly, but a dead serious look in her eyes. Loke shuddered a bit, before Lucy smiled sweetly like before.

_I swear, that girl's a demon._ He sighed, plodding over to the window, sitting on the pillowed space there, staring out the window. _But she's my girl, what can you do?_ He smirked at his reflection, happily content with the fact that, no matter what, Lucy is inevitably his.

* * *

**C/N: Hey! Not the chapter you expected, no? Well, that date's the next, don't worry. And the argument? It's real lame, sorry, I didn't think it would suit it if the two argued for long, and the sappy reconciliation? To lazy to make it more... _spicy_, if you will. X3**

**_"We're all mad here."  
_**

**_-'Til we meet again in Dementia, loves._  
**


	7. The Real Date

"Lucy, I don't suppose that your date is a boy with spiky pale blonde hair, is he?" Layla called up to her daughter. Lucy nearly tripped over Loke, who was strategically sprawled across the floor near her dresser. "He's here?!" Lucy yelled.

"I don't know, dear. That's why I'm asking if the boy I described sounds anything like your date." Her mother called back patiently. _Darn, I didn't really think he'd come over!_ Lucy panicked as she gathered whatever she needed into her wool body-sling bag.

"Loke, don't start this all over again!" She cried, moving the cat from the dresser with her foot. She checked the mirror once more to see if she looked presentable. She didn't exactly like the guy, but she had a reputation to uphold.

"Lo-KE!" She cried out at the cat that, once again, was strategically sprawled across the floor, blocking the door. "_Meow._" He purred innocently, looking up to his fuming, slightly flushed mistress. "Seriously, Cat, I don't have time for your tantrums!" She said, pushing him out of the way, Loke giving her a glaring pout.

"Oh Lucy, the boy said his name is Sting Eucliff." Her mother said as Lucy stomped downstairs.

"Then that's him. Where is he?" She asked hurriedly, taking an apple from the kitchen.

"He didn't want to be bother and said he'd wait outside." Layla smiled sweetly at her daughter. "Shomthing wrong?" Lucy asked with an apple in her mouth. "He seems like a sweet boy. Very thoughtful. He brought flowers for you, you know." She went and pointed at the dining table where their Furstenberg porcelain vase stood in the middle, with a fresh bouquet of white and stargazer lilies and roses.

"I think your father would like him." She smiled.

"Mother!" Lucy cried, blushing faintly. "We are just going on a date, there's nothing between us!" She said, hurriedly finishing off her apple.

"Of course dear." Her mother chuckled lightly, watching her daughter dash out the front door. "Take care dear." She called, waving at the girl.

"Bye mama!" Lucy called back.

* * *

"Sting!" Lucy called the boy who was watching a pair of nightingales nuzzle each other.

"Yo." He replied, giving her his signature smirk.

"Did you wait long?" She asked, skipping down the steps from their door. "Nah," He said, walking over to her. "You mom looks just like you." He said, grinning down at her. Shrugging, Lucy made him follow her outside the gate. "I get that a lot." She smiled at him.

"Where we going?" She asked him once they were out, she turned to him, walking backwards.

Smirking widely, he walked ahead of her. "Won't be much of a date if I told you now, huh, Blondie?" He placed his hands behind his head in a leisurely manner.

Lucy scoffed, "You're blonde too, dummy." she said jogging over to stand right behind him. She scrutinized her date's looks. He had a rather body-hugging button-down with a a black scarf around his neck; fitted worn blue jeans tucked into a pair of combat boots. _Presentable. Kind of hot actually._ She silently noted the looks the pair got.

"What the hell are you doing back there?" Sting scowled at the girl behind him.

"Following you?" She shrugged, smiling coyly.

"I can see that." He rolled his eyes before grabbing her wrist, which she held behind her back.

"Walk beside me, that way no one will think you're some sort of weird stalker following me." He smirked as he pulled the blonde girl beside him. Scoffing, Lucy stood straight beside him. "Who the heck would stalk you?" She smirked humorously at him. "Why, every girl out there, who's got good taste in guys." He winked at her. Lucy threw her head back in laughter. _This won't be so bad._ She considered.

* * *

The first on their date, was a movie. Sting and Lucy were watching a romantic-comedy movie, though the movie seemed anything but comedic to Sting. He nearly fell asleep the first thirty minutes of the movie, had Lucy not poked him in the rib. "Come on Sting, at least try watching it." Lucy giggled at the startled awake blonde boy. Sting mumbled something incoherent and slouched into his seat, resting his head on his open palm.

_You should've chosen something else, _Lucy sighed, turning her head back to the screen.

Moments later, Lucy felt something poking her side. "Sting, stop it!" She giggled, slapping his hand away. Sting just smirked at her, and began full-out tickling her. "Sting! Stop! Se-seriously!" Lucy cried in a soft voice, laughing hysterically, trying to slap away her date's hands.

"Excuse me," A soft voice came from behind the two. "I understand that the two are trying to enact the ones on the movie, but we would appreciate it if we could watch the movie itself." She added with a patient smile.

"Oh!" Lucy cried out, slapping away Sting's hand from her waist.

"I'm really sorry about that." She said the same time as Sting.

"Then don't watch!" He snapped.

"Owowowww- Lucy!" He cried as Lucy grabbed and pinched his ear.

"That was very rude, Sting." She chastised softly, but audible enough for those around to hear.

"I'm really sorry about him, he forgot to drink his medication this morning." She explained with a warm smile to the lady behind them, making her smile and giggle at the couple, and those around who heard the commotion, began chuckling and snickering as well.

"Lu~cy!" Sting whined, as Lucy stared at the blonde boy who was tearing up. She let out a sigh and let go of him. "Honestly, Sting," She shook her head in disapproval and embarrassment, noticing that the two were drawing attention. Mumbling something incoherently, the two drew their attention back to the screen, as a soft but audibly scoff was heard from the back.

* * *

"Damn it, Lucy!" Sting yelled, holding a hand to his red throbbing ear. "You _are_ the Demon-Titania's sister!" He sneered at the girl. Sticking a tongue at the boy, Lucy crossed her arms over her ample chest and gave a smug smile at him. "You brought that on yourself." She claimed, quite smug that she lived up to her nickname.

Chuckling at Sting's appearance, she skipped ahead of him and turned to face him. "So, where are we going next?" She smiled sweetly at Sting, dismissing what just happened earlier..

Dropping his hand from his ear, Sting crossed his arms over his chest and smirked playfully. "We're gonna have fun, that's for sure." He grinned suggestively at the girl. Though Lucy thought he looked ridiculous with his strawberry for an ear.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" Lucy asked innocently.

"Where's the fun in that?" Sting placed his hand behind his head as he walked ahead of the girl.

Sighing, she followed to catch up to him.

"Oh!" She cried out suddenly and began rummaging through her bag. Sting glanced to see what she was bothering over, to be greeted with a cold, slightly damp surface on his face.

"What the f-" He almost yelled, turning to see what was in Lucy's hand. "It's for your ear." She explained, holding up a white towelette. "It's swollen." She pointed out to the, still throbbing, ear.

"Who's fault is that?" He mumbled audibly, taking the towel and placing it on his ear, wincing slightly from the sudden cold contact on his slightly warm skin.

She stuck her tongue out at him and began going ahead of the grumbling blonde. _You're lucky you're tolerably cute, you idiot. _She chuckled.

* * *

"The amusement park?" Lucy asked, looking around the place.

"Yep. I thought we could kill some time here." Sting said, walking beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. His ear was a light tint of pick now. "I'm sorry, though, if the place does not suit Princess Lucy's taste." He jokingly said, giving a mocking bow.

"What are you talking about?" Lucy turned to him, smiling brightly. "This is great!" She jumped, grabbing his arm and tugging him to the nearest attraction.

"Aren't we excited?" Sting chuckled, stumbling behind Lucy. Sticking a tongue out at him, she pulled his arm harder to get him to move. "Come on, Sting!" She half-yelled over her shoulder, making Sting laugh as they headed toward the large ride.

* * *

"I'm tired." Sting sighed, plopping down on the bench in front of the amusement park's fountain. "Really?" Lucy chimed, sitting down next to Sting. He stared incomprehensibly at the blonde girl beside him. "Seriously?" He asked, shaking his head clicking his tongue in mock disapproval. "Do you know how many rides we went on?" He smirked at her.

"About seven?" Lucy asked innocently, smiling cutely.

Sting snapped his head back to her, a dumbfounded look on his face. "More than fifteen, Lucy!" He shook his head, chuckling.

Lucy stuck her tongue out at him, again, and stood up abruptly. "Stay there, Sting." She said before going off to somewhere. Sting scratched the top of his head, mumbling things about 'girls and their odd needs'. Linking his fingers behind his head, he reclined back on the bench, planting a small scowl on his face to drive away onlookers.

"Holy sh-" He yelled, jumping from his position, when something cold touched his face. Turning around, with a sneer on his face, he met Lucy's bewildered face. "Did I scare you?" She asked, a hint of worry in her soft voice.

Sting looked away from her face, a small blush in his cheeks. "You surprised me, is all." He said, rubbing his nape. He glanced back to Lucy, to see her smiling warmly at him. "What's that?" He asked, pointing to the two cans in her hands with his free hand. "Juice." She said, walking around the side of the bench to sit. "Here." She gave him one of the cans. "We could've just gone to a cafe." He stated, sitting beside her.

The two spent half an hour with Sting pointing and making fun of some people, with Lucy trying to make him stop, stifling laughs or playfully reprimanding him.

"Come on," He said, standing up and crushing the aluminum can in his hand. "Lets get some dinner." He grinned down at her, offering his hand to her. "Dinner?" She asked, tilting her head to the side as she stood up. "I have a curfew, remember?" She said, shaking her head. Chuckling, he started walking slowly toward the exit. "I asked your mom if it's alright if I brought you out for dinner." He called over his shoulder.

Lucy was surprised at this. "And she agreed?" She asked, running over to catch up with him. "Yea." He grinned.

"How?" She asked.

He shrugged, placing his hands behind his head leisurely. "I just asked if it was alright if I brought you out for dinner." He said, smirking at her awed face. "I told her I'll bring you home by seven." He added with a laugh. "Well that makes sense." Lucy replied with a chuckle.

"Come on then," He repeated, taking her by the hand and guiding her through the throng of people by the exit. Lucy glanced down at the large hand around her own and simply chuckled silently. _Sting's cute when he's nice._

* * *

**C/N: I'll keep you guys hanging for a second. I need to think of what'll happen next. Feel free to help me out, via review or private message. Thanks for reading and sticking by my nuttiness! X3**

**_"I'm not mad. My reality is just different from yours."_  
**


	8. Another Date

**sereneskydragonslayer: Ain't he cute like that? X3  
**

**LoveIsARose: I don't plan on something like that, he did that before, though it wasn't really a date with Sting. XD (chapter3!X3)  
**

**astrayeah: Thanks for the suggestions, but this is a Loke x Lucy fan fiction, Sting is an extra, in my native language, _epal si Sting_. XD (I apologise for using foreign words, it described Sting the best. [to me]. XDD)**

**MissVoiceLess: You think it's cute? Awww, thank you! X3  
**

**sabortooth: I planned that right from the start, don't you worry! Though, it will be a bit different and a bit more subtle. In a way. XD But no, no kiss. It's Loke x Lucy. _Epal si Sting._ XDDD (Again, sorry for the foreign language. X3)  
**

**C/N: And to all those who reviewed: you bet Loke's jealous! And ya'll can't wait for my next chapter, believe me. XD  
**

**I am absolutely flattered that you thing the last chapter was cute, I have no ideas about dates, so I was guessing what they would do. XDD But remember, kittens, it'll be Loke and Lucy in the end. X3  
**

* * *

Sting and Lucy headed toward a quaint and lovely street, hand-in-hand. "Do you come here often?" Lucy asked Sting as she looked around the street in awe. "Not really, no," Sting answered, scratching the back of his head. "My cousin, Rogue, told me about this place, is all." He answered coyly. Lucy smiled as they went to a cozy café.

The two sat in a table outside the cafe's main shop. "Good evening, here are your menus," A waiter told the pair, handing them two blue menus, before bowing his leave. "What will you be having?" Sting asked Lucy, looking up from his menu. "Hmm, I think dark chocolate cake and rose parfait with rose tea sound nice." She smiled up to her date.

"That's a lot of food, Blondie. Not to mention the sugar." He smirked at her. "Are you calling me fat, Eucliff?" She taunted, smirking back, raising a brow at him. "I never said that, Heartfilia." He answered, putting his menu down. "Order ahead of me," He said as he stood up.

"Where you going?" Lucy asked. "Bathroom." Sting answered, smirking down at her. "Want to come?" Smirking wider as she stuck her tongue at him, chuckling as he made his way inside. _Stupid Bee._ Lucy huffed, glaring at the blonde's retreating back.

"Can I take your order, miss?" The waiter returned, smiling wide at her. "Oh, dark chocolate cake and rose parfait with rose tea, please."She answered with a bright smile, as the waiter nodded, writing everything on his notepad. "That all miss?" He asked as Lucy nodded.

The waiter retreated with a nod. Lucy placed her head on her hands, which were propped up on her elbows on the table. She was looking around the café, thinking how cute it was, and how out of character this was for Sting. She listened to the different sounds around her, couples talking sweetly to each other, friends laughing with each other and other mundane but enjoyable things, when something caught her ear.

"Oh, Leo. You're such a cad!" A high-pitched, loud voice giggled from the table by the side of the cafe's building, another voice girly voice followed a familiar husky chuckle. "Please, ladies, you're disturbing the other tables." The same husky voice answered loud enough for Lucy to hear. _I swear, if that is him, I am going to skin him __alive__._ She thought angrily, standing up abruptly, fuming, but very discreetly. She walked calmly to the front of the cafe's doors, then tiptoed to the building's side, hiding by the wall and peered by it.

Good enough, she saw what she hypothesized to be there; Loke sat by two disgustingly dressed clowns. The clown with obviously dyed blonde hair whispered something into the strawberry-blonde's ear. Lucy's eyes widened at the sight. _And here I thought lions were noble!_ She fumed, watching the other clown in a disgusting low-cut halter top, rubbed his chest, leaning onto him. _Oh, now I'm gonna roast him, _then _skin him alive!_ She snarled, stomping back to her and Sting's table.

Lucy slumped in her seat, frowning and cursing Loke; wishing all his hair fell out of his head, here and now. "What's gotten into you?" Sting asked, pulling into his seat, an eyebrow raised inquiringly.

Lucy pursed her lips and sat straighter. _I'm on a date with Sting, I don't need to drag him into stuff like this._ She debated. She sighed as she gave smiled to him. "Nothing, just thinking of a paper I have to write for school." She answered, noticing Sting relaxing his shoulders. "Oh, history?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head. She nodded.

"Yeah," He gave a lopsided grin "History's a bit-, a real migraine." He laughed nervously. Lucy smiled at Sting, nearly forgetting her problems with her cat, until she heard the laughs of those banshees he was with. "Man, those guys are real noisy." Sting turned toward the noise. "I heard them in the men's room, damn it." He had an annoyed expression on his face. Lucy smiled at him as the waiter came with her food and Sting ordered.

"Why don't you eat already?" Sting asked, an eyebrow raised to the blonde whose food laid right there in front of her. "I want to eat together." She answered, smiling sweetly, effectively making Sting blush at her thoughtfulness and angelic face. He muttered something along the lines of cursing her for being so cute and nice and saying that she didn't need to.

_He's so cute when he's like that._ She giggled, making conversation with him as they waited for his food.

* * *

"Thanks again, Sting for today." Lucy said in front of her house's gate. "Yeah, thanks too" He mumbled, stuffing his hands into hi pocket. Lucy tilted her head to the side questioningly. "for going out with me." He finished in a more clear and firm tone. She smiled sweetly at him.

"So um, " Sting started, rubbing the back of his head, not looking at the girl in front of him, a ghost of red on his cheeks. "W-well," He stuttered out. Lucy arched her brows. This was a new sight for her. "I'd better go now," He finally said, looking at the other way. Lucy giggled at him and tiptoed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Maybe we could go out again, some time." She said, loosening her grip.

Lucy looked at the shocked look on Sting's face as she let him out of her hug. Sting them gave her his usual grin and nodded. "Yeah, maybe. 'Night, Blondie." He said, turning to the direction of his home. "Goodnight, Bumblebee." She giggled, opening the gate of her home. _Not bad for a first date. With Sting Eucliff, no less._ She thought, entering her home.

"Hello, Lucy. How was your date?" Her mother greeted her from their dining room. "Hello mama, father." She greeted her parents with a smile, kissing them both on the cheek. "It was fun." She beamed at her mother, taking her usual seat between her parents.

Her father grunted. "Did you eat dinner, Lucy?" He asked sternly. Lucy looked to her father, beaming. "Yes, father. We went to a nice café." She answered. "Cafe?" He repeated, shaking his head. "You never eat a proper meal when you go to a café." He frowned. "Now, dear. At least she ate." Layla softly reprimanded her husband before turning to her daughter. "Would you like to have something else to eat, dear?" She asked lovingly. Lucy shook her head before standing up. "No thank you, I'm full."

"I'm gonna head to bed. Good night." She said, giving them a kiss once more on their cheeks before heading to her room to massacre a certain man.

* * *

"Hi Lucy," Loke calmly called from his place on the blonde's couch. Lucy raised a brow to the man's guiltily-innocent movements. She gave a calm, knowing smile. "Hello Loke, how was your day?" She asked innocently, placing her bag on her dresser. "My day? It was dull." He answered, turning the page of the book he was holding absentmindedly. "Really?" She asked, removing her scarf and beret.

She turned to him and sat across him on her bed. "Did you go out?" She asked sweetly, her smile never faltering. "Out? Of course not!" Loke covered to quickly, burying his nose into the book he held. "Really? What did you do all day?" She asked, a calm look on her pretty face.

"I was reading, Princess." He smiled rather nervously at Lucy, cold sweat coating him. Lucy smirked. "Really? I didn't know you read books upside-down, Loke." She said, standing up from her place.

Sure enough, Loke checked the book, checking if it really was upside-down. "Nor did I know that you could read Russian." Lucy added, standing right in front of him. Loke's jaw almost dropped, no wonder he wondered why she said it was upside-down but thought it wasn't, everything was in Russian! He wondered why she had a foreign book in her room, but had more pressing matters to thing of; like the angry-looking blonde beauty in front of him.

"I was... learning?" He fumbled, shrugging innocently. Lucy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and you don't smell like you've been into a waterfall of cheap musky perfume." She scrunched her nose at him, glaring accusingly at him as he sniffed his sleeve, recoiling at the smell.

"Look, Lucy, I can explain," He started, placing his hands in front of him, moving them in a way that gestured to calm down. "Alright, I'm listening." She calmly said. "You see, I went into the- wait what?" He started but stopped to stare at the blonde in front of him who was tapping her foot rhythmically. "I said I was listening." She repeated all to calmly. He raised his brow to her, confused as to her rather calm reaction. Noticing Loke's confusion, Lucy's frown deepened. "But if you so much as leave out a tiny part, or make any of it up, I will roast and skin you alive." She said.

Loke inwardly shuddered. He knew Lucy meant it, and one way or the other, would kill him.

He gulped, and sat down again. "See, I stayed here all morning; I promise. I knew you'd be back by six, since your parents gave you a curfew; but you didn't. Around 6:30, I went out to look for you, thinking that something might've happened. I found you and that lech in a café. Since it was getting dark, and I was reluctant to leave you with that boy, I stayed. Those two women came from nowhere and sat beside me, acting like that." He explained, an innocent look on his face, looking up to his mistress' angry face.

Lucy scowled. "I don't believe you." She spat. Loke sighed. "Believe me Lucy, I only followed you out at when you weren't home by six." He said, an apologetic look on his face. "I am a man of my word, Lucy. I'd rather lose an arm before I slander my name as the noble lion." He said firmly.

"Start chopping off your arm, _Leo_." She growled at him. Loke's face fell, he couldn't believe Lucy wouldn't believe him. "Those ladies went to _me_, Lucy, I didn't." He shook his head. "_They're not my type._" He mumbled under his breath. Thankful that Lucy's scowl didn't deepen. "You seemed pretty happy to be with them, though." she spat, turning her back to him. Suddenly though, Loke perked up. "Are you jealous?" He asked, his tone hinting glee.

"What- NO!" Lucy span around to face him, though she was blushing. "Then why are you making such a big deal of the women I was with?" He smirked, taunting the blushing blonde. "Be_cause_, those women where scantily disgusting," Her doll-like face contorted into one of absolute disgust. Loke raised a brow, then chuckled."True enough." He stood straight, looking at Lucy, who was still had an annoyed look on her face.

He sighed. "Look, I'm sorry I did that, I was worried that you were out late." He said, taking a step closer to her. "And those women, really, they clung to me," He added with a sincere smile, opening his arms wide, gesturing to hug her. "You're the only girl I look at." He winked at her, moving closer to her again. Lucy narrowed her eyes, pouting slightly, scrutinizing the strawberry-blonde's look then sighed. "Fine, I accept your apology. I'm sorry for being rude and/or mean to you too." She mumbled her apology. Loke beamed, walking toward his mistress to hug her, but stopped when Lucy placed a hand in front of his face, her nose scrunched up in distaste.

"I'm not hugging you when you smell like that." She stated, pinching her nose.

Loke chuckled, and snapped his fingers; his brown suit that he wore that had the smell of those disgraceful women, changed into a grey suit with a red necktie. "Better?" He asked, tightening his tie. Lucy raised a brow at him and chuckled. "Fine." She conceded, wrapping her arms around his neck, ignoring the carpenter that suddenly moved into her chest.

"How about I make it up to you?" He asked as they separated from their warm hug. Lucy raised a brow as she crossed her arms. "Oh? How?" She challenged. Loke grinned and raised his armed open to his sides. "Go on a date with me?" He asked cheerfully.

Lucy arched her brows, not exactly expecting that answer. "When?" She asked.

"Tomorrow." He answered, smiling brightly.

"Alright." She answered with a hint of a smirk.

"Really?" He asked, his eyes widened a fraction in happiness. "Yep. I'll just ask mama and father." She said, going into her bathroom to change then went downstairs to ask permission from her parents for permission. Lucy came up five minutes later, giving Loke a thumbs up. "Papa didn't look too happy though, so you better be all suave and stuff when you pick me up tomorrow." She chuckled. Loke cleared his throat and straighten his tie. "When am I not suave, darling?" He winked at her, earning a pillow in his face. "Half the time you act like that, Mr. Suave." She laughed.

"Whatever you say, Love." He said, kissing the tip of her nose, heading toward the window. "Where you going?" She asked, turning to him. "I can't pick up for your date when I'm in the same house as you, now can I?" He asked, looking at her over his shoulder, one leg out of the window. Lucy chuckled while she shook her head. "Fine, take care," Shea said, waving her hand at him. He grinned at her. "Oh, wear something comfortable tomorrow," He said with a wink before falling to the ground with a graceful thump.

Lucy giggled and dropped to her bed. _Silly cat,_ She thought, touching the tip of her nose before falling asleep.

* * *

**C/N: Tadah! The Sting-Lucy date aftermath! Well, I'm sorry for the late update, but school's a birch, and I left my laptop charger in school too. ._.  
****I know, stupid, but bear with me! Now, I need ideas for the date; and I'm going for movies, dinner date or amusement park again. ESPECIALLY DINNER DATES. That's cliché, in my opinion.  
**

**_"We're all mad here."_**


	9. Mister Suave

**C/N: Bonsoir monami! Missed me? X3  
First of all, I'm fifteen, meaning high school. ._. I have so much assignments and fudging projects, it makes me wanna cry. And when you study in a homogenous type, it's worse. It's not the first section, but still!**

**I'm rambling. XD X3  
**

**Second, I forgot the plot of this chapter. XD  
Sue me, it came back though!  
**

**And third, to all you there, I hope you like the story! X3**

* * *

Lucy woke up with a yawn, stretching her newly woken up limbs. She checked time, seeing it was 6:56 am. _Really early for me to wake up at this time._ She thought, rubbing her eyes and heading downstairs for breakfast.

"Good morning," She called sleepily, but brightly.

"Good morning Lucy." Her mother answered with a smile.

"You're up early," Her father responded with a grunt. "I don't know why." Lucy answered taking her usual spot. "Possibly, it has something to do with your going out later." Her mother chuckled as she brought a plate of scrambled eggs, Chinese fried rice and a bit of french toast with chocolate at the side. Her father grunted in disapproval, mumbling things about 'teenagers being so hyper' under his breath.

"What time will you be going out?" Jude asked.

"Around 8 or 9, maybe." Lucy said, taking a bite of her toast.

* * *

Lucy went back to her to her room at 7, planning to pick out clothes for her and Loke's date. _I think I'm a bit too giddy,_ She sighed, walking to her closet and opening it. Out of the far corner of her eye, she spotted something fluttering to the floor.

_"Lucy,"_ The note started, Lucy raised her brows. _"Don't wear a skirt or a dress, boots or shoes or jeans, don't wear any accessories in fact. Wear a simple shirt and possibly a pair of modest shorts."_

"Loke?" She asked aloud, staring at the paper in disbelief. _"Don't worry, you'd still outshine the sun even like that. *wink*"_

"Loke," Lucy sighed.

_"Bring an extra change of clothes as well; clothes, toiletries and a towel. -Loke"_ The letter ended. "Huh," Lucy said monotonously. She was about to drop it on the dresser, when a messy part caught her eye, albeit the clean and formal hand writing from the top.

_"P.S. I'll be picking you up at 7:45. See you soon, love. ;)"_

Her eyes grew wide at the last part. _What time is it?!_ She snapped her head quickly to the side, _7:10?! What the-_ She scrambled to the bathroom to freshen up. "He should've told me last night! Darned cat!" She mumbled, cursing him loudly when she accidentally slipped and hit the floor, bottom first.

_7:16,_ She read the clock; it was record time, she got out of the bathroom. "What do I wear?!" She frantically cried, rummaging through her closet. It was 7:35 when she finally decided on a short sleeved pink shirt with different colored paint splatters over it as design, and a pair of white cut-off shorts that had lace design on the front. She brought a baby blue tube sundress that ended above the knees with a grey cardigan and a pair of one-inch wedge heels.

"This looks fine." She let out a breath of contentment.

"Lucy, you're date's here." Her mother called from downstairs. "What?!" She called back, _It's not even 7:40!_ She cried, scrambling to gather whatever else she'd need and to get dressed.

"Lucy," Her mother knocked on the door lightly, opening it and poking her head through the crack. "I hope you're almost done, dear." She said, giving her daughter a sympathetic smile. "Your father's bombarding the poor boy with whatever." She chuckled.

Lucy's mouth dropped in horror, finishing up in record time.

"Are you going like that?" Her mother asked benevolently. Lucy nodded, standing in front of the mirror, tying her hair. "He told me to wear something simple and bring an extra pair of clothes." She answered, glancing at her mother through the mirror she faced. "Though I'm not entirely sure why," She sighed, checking herself through the mirror once more before going out the door, her mother following her in suit.

"Daddy, we'll be going now." Lucy called quickly, bouncing into the living room, seeing her father's hand pat Loke's shoulder, smiling proudly.

"Hm, of course. Take care, you two." He smiled to his daughter, letting Loke walk over to her. He winked discreetly at her and bowed as a greeting. She looked confused at him, then to her father; didn't Layla say the patriarch was nearly smothering the man?

"Shall we go, Lucy?" Loke smiled down at the blonde, chuckling to himself at the blonde's odd look. "Eh, ah, right." She said slowly. He chuckled as he guided the girl toward the door.

"Oh, be home by 7:30, Lucy." Her father called, placing his arm around his wife's shoulders. "Take care, you two." Her mother called, smiling sweetly and waving at them.

* * *

"How did you do that?" Lucy asked incredulously.

"Do what?" Loke asked, looking at the girl sideways.

"You know!" She exclaimed, looking at him surprised. He shrugged. "How in the world did you get my father to act like," She flailed her arms in various motions and positions, unable to get the right terms. "_that_?!" She cried the last part. Loke chuckled a bit, walking a bit ahead of Lucy.

"I told," He started, pocketing his hands into his pockets. "I'm the epitome of suaveness." He glanced at her over his shoulder, winking at her.

Lucy stopped walking for a moment, staring at the cat with two heads, before shaking her head and chuckling the catching up to him. "Whatever, Cat." She scoffed a bit as he chuckled.

"So, where are we going?" She asked.

His smile grew and his laugh grew heartier. "You'll find out when we get there, Princess." He grinned down at her. Lucy arched her brows; it seemed like everyone she dated said that, she thought. Lucy merely sighed and shrugged as Loke offered his arm to her. Accepting the gesture, and placing her hand on his arm, she smiled up to him.

"Let's go then."

* * *

**C/N: Oi! I was lazy! Don't blame me. =.= Blame**** school. A certain someone there would know how studying is like. It's like consented murder and assasination. Fudge it, it's horrible. T.T  
The next chapter will be about the date; but I warn you, it will take really long for it to get here.  
In the native language, _uso ang tamad! (Ata.)_  
Ask someone what it means. XD**

**_"I'm not mad. My reality is just different from yours."__  
_**


	10. Wisteria

**C/N: Blarrrgggg, I'm laaaaaazzzzyyyyyy, damn school and the education system of my school. What third years get geometry, trigonometry, physics and chemistry all year round? And because I'm lazy and tired, this chapter may or may not reach your expectations. And I'm very, very sorry to have got you hopes up. And I'm also sorry for rambling. ._.  
I am a lonely, schizophrenic girl.  
**

**In any case, happy readings, kittens.**

* * *

Loke and Lucy had climbed into a car and had been driving for about half an hour. They were silent the whole ride, but it was a comfortable silence; the type of silence that helped one to think. "Aren't you curious as to where we're going?" Loke asked, looking at Lucy from the corner of his eyes. "Hey, keep your eyes on the road, Loke." She scolded as Loke chuckled, training his eyes back onto the road.

"I'm curious." She answered, looking out the window. "But I've been through my fair share of dates, and each time I asked, they all said the same thing. 'It's a surprise.' or 'You'll find out when we get there. *wink*'. I'd ask, but what's the point?" She sighed and chuckled as she said this. Loke, satisfied with the answer but unhappy with the type of answer, nodded curtly in response. Lucy didn't notice Loke's disdain in her answer, she took in the clean and fresh breeze of the area, and the simple, serene beauty of the scenery.

"How much longer?" She asked, her eye glittering in excitement. "Just a bit longer," Loke smiled, chuckling as the blonde bounced in her seat in anticipation and how adorable she looked, sticking her head out the window to feel the breeze.

"Oh wow!" Lucy gushed, her eyes glittering. "Loke this is gorgeous!" She exclaimed, turning to him only briefly before looking back out the window. Loke chuckled at his mistress. The sight was breathtaking, like they were in another world. They had entered a tunnel-like area, trees lining the side of the road. But the trees seemed to glow and shine in different colors, their leaves hanging down low, almost touching the grass laid ground. The trees, on closer observation, were wisteria trees of different colors, glittering and reflecting the sunlight.

"This is amazing, Loke!" Lucy cried, her eyes literally glittering as she watched the trees as they passed them. "I'm glad you like the place, Lucy." Loke chuckled, his eyes never leaving the road. "We're almost there, by the way." He added, glancing quickly at the girl. "You mean this isn't it?" Lucy asked, very much surprised. Loke laughed, he'd been doing that a lot. "No, let's say this is the first part." He grinned at the girl. Lucy stared incredulously at the man then turned back out the window. "Hmm, if there's something better than this." She said, inhaling the sweet smell of the wisteria.

"Of course there is, Lucy. Who do you think I am?" He chuckled, looking straight ahead, to the nearing light at the end of the tunnel-like road.

The road of wisteria was dim, the large trees covered the road, blocking most of the light. So, when the car passed the end of the wisteria road, Lucy was blinded; mostly because she had her head out the window. Shutting her eyes tight for a second, and shielding them from the sun with her hand, she opened one eye, then the other, to help them adjust to the brightness. When her eyes adjusted to the sudden light, her jaw dropped, her chocolate eyes widen.

"Oh gosh, Loke! The sea!" She cried, as her eyes fell on the clear blue waters meeting the pristine white beach coast. "Loke, it's so amazing!" She cried. Loke laughed once more, maneuvering the car to the open lot, shaded by large clusters of trees, that served as the parking lot. "What did I tell you, Princess?" He winked at her as she sat back on the passenger seat.

"It's wonderful, Loke!" She exclaimed, bouncing with delight. _Explains the clothes and extra stuff._ She giggled to herself. _And why he looks like that._ She added, glancing at the man beside her. Loke, not wearing his normal tailored suit, donned a pair of long casual grey slacks and a light blue polo. In ay case, Loke still looked handsome and gallant in his lack of formal clothing.

"Princess, I know I'm good-looking, but we should get going if we want to reach the beach before traffic." He winked at her, climbing out of the car. Lucy blushed, and hastily climbed out the vehicle as well. Lucy slammed the door shut and Loke draped his arm around her shoulder, smiling brightly at her. Lucy blushed and stuck her tongue at him, making him laugh. "You are adorable, Lucy." He said, taking her handbag from her and carrying it himself.

"Loke! I can carry that." She cried, trying to grab the bag from him. "It's ungentlemanly if I let you carry a bag when I don't, Lucy." He simply smiled at her, receiving a pout from her, but continued on toward the beach.

* * *

"Loke, come on, you scaredy cat!" Lucy yelled from the waters. "No thanks, Princess!" He called back, returning back to the book he brought. Lucy mumbled something under her breath, shaking her head and laughing at Loke. Ridiculous feline brought her to the beach of all places, she thought. She walked near the shore, the water splashing against her knees. Lucy was ecstatic to swim, but wanted the right spot.

"Lucy?" A familiar voice called from the shore. "Lisanna!" Lucy cried, running toward the platinum-haired girl. "What are you doing here?" Lisanna smiled, hugging back the blonde. "A date?" She asked, raising a brow. "I should ask you the same question, Lisanna Strauss." Said girl laughed. "Helping out in our shop." She answered. Lucy arched her brows. "Which shop is that?" The Strauss' had quite the number of shops, ranging from bars, small restaurants, souvenir shops and clothes stores.

Lisanna Strauss, youngest sibling of Mirajane and Elfman Strauss. Like her siblings, had platinum hair and deep blue eyes.

"A rental, here." Lisanna pointed over her shoulder, pointing to further by the beach.

"Of?"

"Beach stuff."

"Seriously?" Lucy asked incredulously. This was a new. Lisanna giggled, noticing Lucy's look. "Big sis didn't tell you? This one's new." She answered. Lucy chuckled then raised a brow testily at the girl. "Have swim wear there?" She asked. Lisanna smirked. "You never did answer my question, and I answered all yours, Lucy."

Lucy smiled to the girl. "If I told you, I'd never hear the end of it from your sister." She answered. "I won't tell her," Lisanna answered back.

"Sure?" Lisanna vigorously nodded, a glint in her eyes, similar to Mirajane's. "She's not here." Lisanna added. The blonde's sighed, and nodded. Lisanna gave a Mirajane-like squeal.

"Sting Eucliff?" Lucy shook her head.

"The guy Gray's frienemies with?" She shook her head again.

"Freed?" Lisanna asked. "I wish," Lucy laughed.

The platinum-haired girl placed a finger under her lip in a thoughtful manner. Moments later, she snapped her fingers. "The guy in the suit that came to school once, the one with spiky strawberry blonde with blue-tinted glasses." Lucy raised her brows; Lisanna described Loke really well. "Sis Mira told me. she wouldn't stop about it for the whole night, that time when Sting Eucliff came to school and asked for a date."

Lucy sighed. "Mirajane," She drawled, planting a hand on the upper right side of her face a she shook her head. Lisanna giggled. "And we do have swim wear, gonna rent?" She asked, noticing Lucy's outfit. "Yes, please." Lucy smiled. Nodding, Lisanna lead the way.

"How are you and Natsu going?" Lucy asked slyly. Lisanna blushed faintly. "Fine," She answered. Lisanna and Natsu have been dating for a good 5 months. They would've gotten together faster if Natsu hadn't been such a stubborn ass; literally and metaphorically, in Lucy's opinion. "He asked me to help in getting Happy a collar." She added. Lucy groaned; only Natsu would ask that kind of sort of date.

The two chatted about school, mostly the couples there, Mirajane had rubbed off on both of them, they both agreed. "Here we are," Lisanna sang, gesturing to a large and moderately crowded hut. The shop, which the Strauss sibling conveniently named 'The Shack', was a made of bamboo tied with abaca rope, roofed with large, dry coconut leaves and big pointy leaves. "Tourists call it 'nipa huts'. Indigenous houses from an eastern county." Lisanna trivia-ed. Lucy nodded in awe.

"Hey Lis!" A man called from the counter. "Max," She greeted with a smile. "This is my friend, Lucy." She gestured to the blonde behind her. "Hello," Lucy greeted. The man grinned and waved to the girl. "Elfman said he'd be back later, said something about Evergreen and stuff." Max answered, sitting back into his chair. Lisanna sighed. "Honestly, Big brother dotes on Evergreen too much." She clicked her tongue, walking to the swim wear section of their shop.

"At least they make a good couple," Lucy chimed, following the girl. "I know, but still." Lisanna sighed. "Give Mira some credit, Lisanna, she did get those two together. And they look great as a couple!" Lucy added, recalling the time Elfman professed his undying, unwavering, love for her, claiming that, confessing and having the girl of his dreams was 'manly'. Lisanna sighed as Lucy chuckled.

"Go on, choose your suit." Lisanna said, pushing the blonde into shelves full of one-pieces, bikinis, tankinis, and other swim wear. Lucy raised a brow then shrugged, moving through the spaces to look for the right one.

Ten minutes later, she found the best one. A white bikini top with a pink hibiscus flower design on the left breast and short bottom with a pink ribbon belt with it. "This is prefect!" She exclaimed, checking herself through every angle. Lisanna nodded in agreement.

"You never did tell the guy's name," Lisanna said staring intently at the blonde. "No one ever asked." She shrugged nonchalantly.

"What's his name?"

"Loke,"

"Loke..." She gestured with her hand to go on.

"Uh," Lucy stuttered, looking at the ground. "Leo." She blurted.

"Leo?" Lisanna repeated. Having no cover-up, she nodded vigorously. "Loke Leo." Lisanna said slowly, as if tasting the words for any wrongs. "Odd name," She commented, looking at the blonde who smiled nervously. "Oh well," She shrugged, pushing Lucy out the store. "Now shoo! Loke's probably out looking for you." She grinned. Lucy sighed. "Thanks Lisanna." She smiled at her friend before she got shoved through the door, waving Lisanna goodbye as she went back to their spot.

* * *

"Lucy!" Loke called. "Lucy, where are you?" He called again. The blonde man's been looking for the girl for at least fifteen minutes. _She's worse than me sometimes._ He sighed, facing the waters in case the blonde decided to pounce on him. "Lu-cy!" He called again.

"Yes?" She answered from behind him. "Lucy! Where've you been? I've looked everywhere for you. I thought something bad happened and- what are you wearing?" Lucy looked at herself and laughed. "Swim wear?" She answered. "What happened to what you wore before?" He asked. Lucy shrugged. "I'm not so keen on swimming unless I'm wearing a bathing suit." She answered, pulling the stunned Loke toward the water. He frowned.

"Lucy, w- damn it!" Lucy laughed as Loke recoiled from the water. "Loke," She gasped, doubling over in laughter. "tha-t i-is rich." She managed between laughs. The two were mid-calf deep in water when Lucy splashed cold sea water at Loke, soaking him chest down to his abdomen. Loke made a face, as man as he was, he was called still the Lion, and had his ups and downs with the name. One of which was his distaste for most kinds of water.

Lucy was turning red from laugher, clutching her stomach from the laughter-induced pain. Smirking, Loke nearly tackled the girl, carrying her up bridal-style. "Of course, Princess." He calmly said, running fast further to the water, throwing the girl into it. He laughed as hard as she did, as Lucy resurfaced with a string of seaweed on her nose. Grinning deviously, Lucy tackled him to the water.

"Oi!" He cried, standing up, completely drenched. Lucy laughed hard once more, making Loke grab her by the waist, tickling her to the ground. "Oh grief, Loke!" She cried between splashing and laughing. "Loke! Loke, I'm dying! Murderer!" She cried as she tried to stop Loke from suffocating her to death. "Not until you admit you love me, Princess!" He claimed, laughing at the blonde. "Never!" She responded, lunging at him, making him fall to the sea ground.

The two were like that the whole morning, until lunch, were they ate together, rather sweetly, with Loke feeding Lucy and Lucy wiping flicks of crumbs from his face, then continued on playing, swimming and walking around the beach until sunset.

"That was so fun, Loke!" Lucy beamed. He grinned in return. "I'm glad you had fun, Princess." He said as Lucy locked arms with him. "Where to next?" She asked. Loke laughed, throwing her head back slightly. "Take a guess, Lucy." He answered with a wide smile.

"'It's a surprise.'," She deepened her voice, trying to imitate his voice. Loke laughed again and Lucy grinned. "How'd you guess?" He joked, opening the passenger seat for her. Lucy shrugged playfully, following his figure as he climbed into the driver seat. "It'll be wonderful though," He smiled at her as he backed away from the parking lot, passing by the wisteria road once again. "Anything's wonderful if I'm with you." She beamed at him, laughing at her own pick-up line.

"Good one, Lucy." He chuckled, glancing at her from the mirror. "How about this: Knock, knock,"

"Who's there?" She grinned.

"Olive."

"Olive who?"

"Olive you." He blew her a kiss, making her laugh.

Loke and Lucy, the two lovebirds, spent the entire trip exchanging cheesy jokes and sweet pick-up lines.

* * *

**C/N: Part two shall come later, when I've the time. If any of you noticed, I add my own 'native' flair to this chapter, so you kittens ask about it. And the pick-up line and cheesy joke by the two, it's the mean here in my country. The cheesier, the better, we say! (I think.) The cornier, the funnier! XD  
****Aaaand, this is a belated birthday girl to me; I'm sixteen! :D It sucks, but yay! X3**

**_"We're all mad here."_  
**


	11. Underneath the Stars in Heaven

"Can you take me to the bakery?" Loke grinned at Lucy through the mirror. "Why?" She smiled back at him. "Because I want a cutiepie like you!" He grinned wide and both laughed.

Loke and Lucy have been exchanging pick-up lines and cheesy jokes with each other for the past 20 minute drive.

"Loke, where do you get all these cheesy lines?" Lucy asked between laughs.

"Oh, here and there." He answered with a smile.

She raised a brow then shrugged. Best not know, she thought with a stifled chuckle. "Hm, are there yet?" She asked. Loke chuckled. "Almost, just past the mahogany cave." He said.

"Mahogany cave?" She asked. Smiling, Loke looked at her from the corner of his eyes. "Yeah, a huge mahogany tree that bends over, like a cave. It's really weird and cool." He laughed. "Huh, who know trees can bend over like that," She said mostly to herself. "The beauty of nature," Loke answered, tapping his temple with a finger.

"Is that the cave? It is big," She said, staring out the window in awe. "Told you," Loke answered with a chuckle.

The cave, as normally a cave would be, was dark; though little fire flies flew about the place, giving the walls and the a light glow. "Wow, this is really cool." Lucy said. Loke simply chuckled softly, watching Lucy. "Then you'd like where we'd go next." He grinned at her.

"Going to tell me where this is?" She asked playfully. "It'd lose it's 'magic' if I tell," He laughed as he drove to an open field. "What this 'magic' about? And in a field?" Lucy asked as she got out the car.

"You'll see, Princess," Loke laughed as he handed Lucy his handkerchief. "tie it around your eyes." He said, pointing to his own and fishing out something from the back. "Is this really necessary?" Se asked as she tied the cotton cloth over her eyes.

"Of course!" He laughed as he placed something in her arm. "I'll guide, don't worry. It's a flat land, so you won't trip." He assured her as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Hmm, I'm beginning to doubt you, Loke." She said as he guided her downhill. "Would you rather I carry you?" He asked over her shoulder. Turning around to face him, Lucy stuck her tongue out at him. "I love you too, Lucy." Loke chuckled as he turned her to the left. "How far is this walk going to be?" She asked cautiously; being blindfolded and wearing small heels was going to be problematic. "Just a bit further," He assured, patting her shoulder.

"Alright, Lucy!" He cheered as he untied the cloth.

"Wow!" Lucy beamed, taking a step forward. "Loke, this is as gorgeous as the wisteria road!" She gushed as took in the smell of flowers. In front of the blonde, was a huge field of flowers: irises, lilies, tulips, snow-bells, lavender, orchids, dozens of different kinds of flowers covered the emerald-green blanket of grass. "And it's a great night too," Loke chuckled; the sky was cloudless, the moon, full, and the stars bright and beautiful.

"Come on," He said as he took the wicker picnic basket from her hands and holding on to her hand, leading to the field of flowers. "Are we allowed here, Loke?" She asked worriedly. As much as the flowers were beautiful, she didn't want to be trespassing.

"Don't worry," He chuckled. "it's open to the public. It's just that not a lot of people come by in the evening. I don't know why, but they don't." Loke assured her as the stood in a clear patch in the middle of the flowers. "I asked your father this morning, when I fetched you, if I could bring you out here for dinner. He asked me where, then he grinned wide when I told him." He said as he placed the basket on the emerald blanket and sat.

"Now I've seen everything," She sighed, running her right hand down her cheek. Only three people could sway her father:his wife, Layla, and, on some occasions, Lucy, and Erza. She sat down as Loke poured out hot tea for her into a cup. "You're really prepared," She commented with a soft chuckle.

"Of course," He responded, his arms wide to either side. "only the best for my princess." He smiling happily at the girl. Lucy threw a bunch of irises at him, giggling and trying to hide the faint blush on her cheeks.

The two ate, much like newlyweds, gestures and phrases very much so. _I swear, ants are crawling around us as we speak. _Lucy thought as she laughed at Loke's incredibly cheesy line. "For you, my Snowflake." He grinned, holding up a small bouquet of lilies, lavenders and orchids. "Thank you Olive," She giggled, sniffing the flowers. The pair decided to give nicknames to each other, the names coming from the lines they said earlier: Loke's about an olive, and Lucy's about a snowflake falling.

"Look," She pointed to the sky, holding the flowers to her chest. "Pegasus." She smiled at the constellation. Loke nodded, pointing up to the left of where Lucy pointed. "Cassiopeia." He said, tracing the figure.

"Gemini." She pointed.

"Auriga," He chuckled, resting his chin on her head.

"And Leo," She chuckled, moving her head away. "How do you know that much of the stars?" He asked, sitting down properly beside her. She shrugged, "Mama's into stars, and so am I." she smiled. Chuckling, he placed his hands behind him as support. "That so like you." He said.

"What that supposed to mean?" She asked, raising a brow. He messed her hair. "Nothing," He chuckled, staring back at the stars. "You're an odd cat, Loke." She joked as she fixed her messy hair. "But I'm your cat, sweetheart." He grinned at her. She chuckled as she sat beside him, leaning her hand onto him shoulder. "I suppose," She answered, watching the stars in the sky.

"One last, Lucy." Loke grinned. Lucy raised a brow and nodded, sitting up straight. Smiling, Loke sat right in front of her, his face a few inched from hers. "Even with all the stars in the heavens, it would never shine as bright or sum up to how much I love you." He finished with a small kiss on her forehead.

Lucy jolted back, surprised, from the sudden kiss, holding on to her forehead and blushing pink. Chuckled, Loke picked up the basket. "Shall we go now, Lucy?" He held out his hand to her, smiling at her. Lucy stared at his for a while before letting go of her forehead and chuckled as she held his hand.

"Father might want you head," She joked as they went to the car. "But you'll still have my heart," He placed a hand on his chest, smiling playfully. She pushed his head to the side softly, laughing at him. "Whatever you say, Loke." She laughed as she slipped her hand into his, walking to the car quietly.

* * *

**C/N: I am sorry if the story is way too cheesy or something. My classmates and bestfriend and other person infected me. =.=  
Next chapters may take a long while, I'm just doing this while I'm supposed to make my report for English. Don't tell anyone. o.o  
**

_**"We're all mad here."**_


	12. Courtship

**C/N: To all those kittens reviewing: thank,comments are welcome! X3  
And if you're all wondering about the plot, I'm going with a Mary-Sue here, Loke and Lucy getting together are technically the plot. ._.  
I'm sorry.  
**

**Don't own Fairy Tail by the way. ._.**

* * *

Lucy hummed about in her room, mindlessly doodling about in her notebook. It was around 7:45 when Loke brought her home while her parents waited for her by the gate, her father was grinning when she came home, which confused her and her mother was chuckling and smiling beside him. Oddly, her father warmly greeted the boy and her mother invited him in for tea, which he politely refused, saying it was late and he'd hate to bother them.

Out of the blue, he asked Jude Heartfilia if he'd consent to his courting of Lucy, which the man proudly consented on, patting him on the shoulder and wishing him luck, saying that Lucy was as difficult as her mother sometimes, explaining that he waited for nearly half a year for her to agree to let him court her and a year half more for her to answer him.

"Father must be on drugs," She mumbled, as she doodled a bee on the top page of her notebook.

"Thinking of me?" Loke's voice asked over her shoulder. Lucy jumped and stood up from her seat, hitting Loke in the chin with her shoulder. "Aiya! I'm so sorry, Loke!" she flustered, scrambling toward him. Loke rubbed his chin, a wide grin on his face, "Remind me never to surprise you like that ever, love." He chuckled as Lucy helped him up.

"What took you so long to come home?" Lucy asked, keeping her notebooks. Loke shrugged, "Eh, I thought it would be odd to come back so quickly when you've been with me the whole day." he answered while tugging on his tie a bit, "And I wanted you to miss me just a bit." he grinned at her, earning him a playful smack on the forehead. "What sort of effect would that be?" She chuckled, heading to her bookshelf.

Loke chuckled as he rubbed his forehead, heading to his usual place by her couch. "Loke?" Lucy asked as he sat down, "Yes, Princess?"

"What kind of odd joke were you pulling off earlier?"

"What do you mean?" Loke frowned.

"I mean, asking to court me?" She chuckled, pulling out a hardbound book.

"And how is that a joke?" He raised a brow.

"Oh come on now, Loke," Lucy whirled around to face him, hugging the book to her chest in one hand and the other placed on her hip, "no one really asks that without a hint of facetiousness." She smiled sweetly while laughing lightly.

Loke cupped her chin with his thumb and index finger, bringing her face up to look at him. "Lucy, does this face of mine hold any bit of mockery or unsureness at all?" He asked with complete seriousness, "I am absolutely, positively, and certainly certain and dedicated in courting you and getting you to be my girl the noble way." He smiled honestly as her blushing, placid face. Smiling serenely, he bent down and brushed his lips over her forehead before turning around.

"A-and how do you suppose you'd court me?" Lucy squeaked, blushing madly, making him look at her over his shoulder. "I mean, you're my cat, and my suitor? That's ridiculous!" She looked away, hugging the book to her chest.

Loke smiled, and sat down, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees, "Well, I'm your cat by face here in your home, and I'm your suitor any other time." He grinned, "I'll be by you all the time," He playfully winked, making Lucy laugh. "Of course, whatever you say," She waving her hand in front of her face.

"But I'll warn you, Leo the Lion," She smirked while heading to her bed. "I won't be swooned so easily. I'll be giving you a harder time than what mama did to father." She winked as she set open her book.

"I'll be ready for anything you throw, Lucy." He smirked. "However long it takes."

* * *

**C/N: Short chapter, I'm sorry, kind of busy, final exams and all. ._.  
And if you're all wondering about the courting thing, you've all more or less know I not from the west, so I don't really know how 'relationships' happen there, so I'm doing it how we do it in my country; by courtship! ^o^  
If everything's too cheesy in future chapters, I'm basing whatever I make from cheesy Filipino short stories I read from a website. XDDD  
So I'm horribly sorry if you all end up hating my story. X3  
**

_**"I'm not mad. My reality is just different from yours."**_


	13. The Art of Courtship

**C/N: So, hey! I know you've all been waiting for a while**** for the update**, maybe longer, and you may or may not be planning on pelting me with fruits and veggies-*dodges rotten tomato* - okay, ARE pelting me. So... here it is! - *runs from array of apples and peaches* - Though I've been in a little slum and writer's block, so I apologize for - *ducks under large papaya* - HEY! *ehem,* I apologize for the story dragging on a bit or ending up lousy. - *runs from watermelon* - DUDE! A WATERMELON?! (My ADHD has hit me again, don't mind me.)

**Again, I'm sorry. *ducks behind food-spattered wall***

* * *

Lucy sighed, "I'm not sure if you're purposely this odd, Loke, or just like this to annoy me." she sighed deeply once more in annoyance, messing her hair in a agitated manner. Loke had been missing when she woke up, finding a note next to her pillow saying that he had something 'important' to attend to and will be back soon, saying that, and quote, _"I'm so deeply sorry, Lucy, for not being the first thing you wake up to. I'll make it up to you, I promise. ;)"_

_You are so corny!_ She messed her hair and sighed, going to her bathroom to freshen up.

"Lucy?" Her mother knocked on the door to her room.

"Yes?" She called back through the bathroom door.

"Are you ready to go yet, dear?"

"Just a bit longer, mama. It's still a bit early for school, is father in a hurry?"

Her mother chuckled lightly, "No, but you have a visitor,"

"Visitor?" Lucy repeated, leaving the bathroom, "This early? Who are you playing mother?" she chuckled.

"Yes dear. That boy you went out with the weekend before." Her mother smiled through the door as Lucy dropped the towel she had in her hands to dry her hair. "Lucy?" Her mother called worriedly when there wasn't any sound from the other side of the door, "WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?!" Lucy exploded, the sounds of clutter and mess through the other side.

Layla chuckled, "Why, he's here to fetch you." she answered.

"What?! Why?!" She cried, silently cursing as she dropped her thick chemistry book on her foot.

"That's how courtship works, Lucy. Why, your father did the same thing when he was courting me and when we were together." She smiled and chuckled, remembering the sweet memory of Jude flustering as he first met her parents.

"Oh god," Lucy groaned, "why?" she whined. Layla simply smiled, "I should teach you on how courtship works, Lucy. Anyway, you should hurry soon dear, your father's tempted to show him your picture as a toddler." she said as she left.

"WHAT!" Lucy cried, frantically bumping into things and getting herself together. _I'm gonna kill him!_ She grit her teeth, her face a deep red. _Both of them!_

* * *

"Oh Lucy," Her father greeted with a wide smile.

"Good morning father." Lucy panted as she kissed her parents on the cheek.

"Good morning Lucy. How are you?" Loke greeted Lucy from behind her. Turning around, she glared at his award-winning, innocent-looking smiling face, "Yeah, good morning too, Loke. _I've had better days._" she sighed as she answered, mostly mumbling the last part.

"Loke, why don't you join us for breakfast?" Layla asked with a welcoming smile.

"Thank you ma'am, but I already asked sir Jude if it were alright if I brought Lucy out for breakfast. I wouldn't want to bother you by making another helping to accommodate me." He smiled brightly as he took Lucy's school bag.

"Oh? Are you sure, dear? It's no trouble at all, really." She glanced over to her daughter's pleading face.

"Yes ma'am. Thank you for though," He grinned at her.

"Think nothing of it, Loke." She chuckled lightly, "It's normally common that the father's rather hostile to their daughter's suitors." she pointedly glanced at Lucy who sighed deeply.

"Loke, I trust you take my daughter to school on time." Jude said, smiling proudly at the boy as he placed his arm across his wife's shoulders. "Yes sir. The café we'll be going to is quite close to her school. I'll walk her there myself." Loke chuckled and gently placed his hand on Lucy's shoulder. "Let's go?"

She sighed as she waved to her parents, grabbing her bag from Loke and left.

"...-at boy would be a good man for her." She caught her father chuckling as the two left the house.

* * *

"I honestly think you hexed my father or something, Loke." Lucy grumbled as she rubbed her temples and kept her head bend low.

"Now why'd you think that, Princess?" Loke chuckled as he watched Lucy grumbled incoherent things. "Because!" Lucy thrust her arms in front of her, "Father is- he doesn't- I don't even- GOD!" she cried and messed her slightly disheveled braid. Loke chuckled amused, "You father doesn't act how normal fathers would to their daughter's suitors and/or boyfriends?"

"YES!" Lucy cried, holding her hands out at him, "I mean, I brought home Natsu and Gray for a project once, he almost got a stroke! A stroke!" She cried, "And when those two were acting _civil_!" she panted since she yelled that in one breath.

"Alright Lucy, first, calm down." Loke gestured with his hands, chuckling awkwardly from Lucy's outburst, "And your father acting so welcoming to me, I simply told him my intentions from the first day." he patted her head in a calming way, earning him a doubtful, unbelieving glare. "Sure you're father wasn't all peaches and cream at me at first, thought I was just trying to get to his good side, but I'm not called Leo the Lion for nothing." He messed her hair a bit while grinning wide.

She squinted her eyes as she stared at him, scrutinizing his innocent-looking grin then sighed. "Fine," she answered weakly. "That's better, now smile Princess!" He laughed as he messed her hair once more. "Loke!" She squealed, swatting his hands away, "You messed my hair!" She complained, undoing the braid and tying it up into a ponytail. "Well, you look beautiful to me anyway." He smiled serenely at her, making her stick her tongue out at him as she fought the smile that wanted to show.

"See? Better!" He laughed and took her bag from her again. "Come on Lucy," He took her hand and lead her down a road.

"Wait, school's that way." She stopped and pointed at the opposite road.

"I know, we're going to breakfast, remember?"

"Wait, you were serious?" She stumbled after him, trying to slow him down a bit.

"Of course!" He turned around and grinned at her. "Remember? 'I'll make it up to you, I promise.'?" He laughed as Lucy's jaw dropped, "What- I didn't think you meant it!" She argued, "I always keep my promises, Lucy. It's not noble if I don't." He smiled at her as they neared a humble, cozy-looking café that had a modest amount of people in that morning. "See? Close to your school and not a lot of people." He led her to a table.

"I've never seen this place before," She mumbled to herself and looked around the café, which she found quite pleasant and with a warm, darling atmosphere. "It just opened." Loke answered, taking his seat across her and giving a menu to her.

"Order whatever you want, so long as it'll pass for breakfast." He instructed her, looking at his own.

Lucy gave in to the lovely cafe's atmosphere and let go Loke's suitor-like moves and advances as they ate, enjoying and laughing as if they were on a regular date and Lucy hadn't school to attend.

"Come on Lucy, I'll walk you to your school." Loke offered his hand to her as he stood up, leaving the money for the bill.

"What? I can go by myself, Loke." She argued as Loke grabbed her bag from the chair she placed it on.

"Ah, but I promised your father I'd walk you there, remember?" He winked at her and slung the back over his shoulder.

"Can't you just let this one slip, just this once?" Lucy smiled, clapping her hands together in a praying/asking manner.

Loke laughed and looked at her over his shoulder. "No can do, Princess. Besides, I've got your bag already and I'm not giving it until we reach your school gates."

"Your taking hostage my bag? That hardly seems fair!" She laughed and ran after him, "All's fair in love and war, Lucy." he grinned and pinched her nose. They laughed together as they walked to Lucy's school.

"Alright Princess, I'll pick you up from dismissal. Don't go leaving ahead of me." He smiled and gave her her bag, "Loke-"

"I'll wait for you out here, don't worry. You're terrifying when you're angry." He laughed and patted her head again, bending down and kissing her on the forehead and left.

"Loke!" Lucy cried, holding her forehead and blushing slightly. "Bye Princess! Take care!" He called over his shoulder, waving at her.

"Suitors." She muttered as she jogged in the campus.

"LUCY!" Levy bear-hug-tackled Lucy as she ran to the main entrance of the school, "Good morning to you too, Levy." Lucy coughed with a strained smile. "Goodness, Lucy! Was that by the gate? Loke bringing you here and planning to fetch you? Is there something you want to share?" Mirajane asked as she, Erza and Wendy joined the blonde and blue-haired girls.

"Oh my, look at the time, I've got garden duty today. See you later guys!" Lucy quickly said as she untangled Levy's arms from her body and ran. Telling them about Loke could wait, she thought, _I'm too young to die._ She chuckled nervously and settled her bag on her seat before running to the garden.

* * *

**C/N: Well, that was nice no? - *tennis rackets oranges* - No? Updates may or may not come slow.  
I'm suffering from heartache so you all have to suffer from my pain. Why? Because if I'm sad. And a sad writer can't write a good love story.  
**

_**"I'm not mad. My reality is just different from yours."**_


	14. Friends

**C/N: I feel as though you guys want me to get better from heartache so I can update the story. =.=  
You're all lucky inspiration is so easy to come by where I live/study by. And that I love you sympathetic-less readers. Save for MissVoiceLess. She's the only one who seemingly cares for a sixteen-year-old's pitiful, sad love story. T^T  
**

* * *

Humming softly the tune from her mother's favorite song, Lucy sweetly cared for the flowers and buds in the school's garden. Fortunately, the blonde girl really did have garden duty, elsewise she'd have an earful from Erza and Mirajane about lying and taking another's duty and making them the lazy slacks they already are.

"I should get these ones for the classroom. Or maybe these..." She mumbled to herself, swishing the watering can between the geraniums and the hyacinths.

"Just take both." A voice behind her said, "Oh siomao!" Lucy cried, jumping as she heard the voice and throwing up the watering can in the air.

"Holy fuc-!" The boy behind her cursed, somehow catching the watering can as it fell to him, getting drenched in the process.

"Sting? Must you surprise me?" Lucy asked, placing a hand over her poor thumping heart.

"Surprise you? Seriously, who threw what in the air?" Sting said in a more than unamused tone and blank expression, dropping the green can to the side.

"Oh-oh, sorry Sting." She nervously laughed and scratched the back of her head. Sting sighed and scratched his slightly damp hair, clicking his tongue as he slapped his wet polo.

"It's fine," He mumbled as Lucy ran inside.

"Take off your polo." Lucy huffed as she ran back to him. Sting jumped back and stared at her as if she had grown an extra head, "That's rather bold of you, Blondie," He managed to smirk albeit his reaction.

"I-idiot, you'll catch a cold. Here." She handed a towel to him, and turned around, heading toward the bed of blooming flowers, returning to prune the withered parts of the flowers.

"Hah, thanks anyway Blondie." Sting said as he draped the dry towel around her neck. "I've got an extra shirt back at school," He explained as Lucy turned to look at him.

"Speaking of which, why and how did you get here?" She asked, tilting her head to the side and furrowing her brows.

"Climbed the wall." He pointed over his shoulder.

"Wha- why did you climb the wall?" She asked, clearly not seeing any logic in his statement.

"Eh, I climb the wall everyday."

"That's not exactly answering the question. Why?"

"Jeez, I like you're school's flowers, okay?" He said hurried, turning his head away as he scratched it, a slight blush on his cheeks. Lucy blinked a couple of times from shock, who knew? Giggling slightly, she reached up and pinched his cheeks lightly, "That's adorable, Sting." she chuckled as Sting scowled at her, batting away her hand from his pinking cheeks. Giggling more, she turned and hurriedly cut a couple stems of agapanthus and geraniums.

"Well, better start scaling the wall again Sting Eucliff, classes are about to begin. See you around, and sorry for watering you." She said while waving at him.

"Oh!" She snapped her fingers with her free hand, taking three fully bloomed roses. "Here." She handed them to him with a bright smile. Sting looked down at them with a confused, questioning look and slightly pinker cheeks. "They mean gratitude. Though it should be a bouquet of fully bloomed roses, we only have so much fully bloomed ones so you have to make do with those." She answered his unspoken question, effectively making him as red as the flowers he held.

"Whatever," He mumbled as he looked away and walked to the wall that separated the two schools. He mumbled some incoherent words as he stalked over to the wall, rolling the roses through his fingers. "What was that Sting?" Lucy called over her shoulder, "Nothing! Goodbye Lucy!" He half-yelled, jumping on the lowest branch of the tree by the wall.

"He's so weird sometimes." She chuckled as she ran to the classroom when the warning bell exacted Sting's leave.

"_You're a hell lot weirder,_" Sting mumbled as he watched her run up to her classroom through the windows in the tree before jumping off to the other side of the wall.

* * *

"Gosh, school ended rather quickly today." Lucy absentmindedly said as most of everyone stood up and left for home.

"Ended quickly? You have to be kidding Lucy," Levy said, looking oddly at her dear friend.

"Maybe she's just feeling rather happy and excited somehow." Mirajane chided, chuckling inwardly at the meaning of her own words.

"Mirajane Strauss, I know that tone, please keep me out of your scarring romantic fantasies."

"Oh Lucy," She chuckled sweetly, making Erza shudder inwardly - she knew first-hand how Mirajane works, Levy and Wendy chuckle nervously - they knew how Mirajane was, and were more or less terrified that they'd be pulled into one of her convolutedly rather irrational 'schemes of matchmaking', as she'd put it. Lucy only sighed, half not caring anymore.

"Let's go?"

"Yeah," The group chorused as she left, chatting on different things.

"Oh! There's a new café near school, would you like to go?" Lucy asked excitedly. The four other girls conversed wordlessly with each other, before turning to the blonde and giving her their happy and approving smiles.

"Great! Let's go!" She cheered happily.

"Where did you hear this new café from, Lucy?" Erza asked.

"Eh, a-an acquaintance," she answered rather shakily.

"Who?" Levy asked.

"Why?"

"So I know who to blame if the food's horrible. You know you're too easily swayed by people's recommendations and such." Levy laughed as the others joined in, Lucy puffed out her cheeks in embarrassment.

"And where are you going, Princess?" Someone had asked from behind the group, most importantly behind Lucy, as he took the girl's bag.

"Oh, Loke isn't it?" Mirajane asked as Loke nodded, slinging the blonde's bag over his shoulder. "Lucy, I told you I'd fetch you. You should've waited by the gate at least."

"_I thought you would've forgotten. Or at least left if I was gone._" She muttered with a strained smile, hiding her face from her companions and hoping he wouldn't somehow catch whatever she muttered. "Now why in the world would I do that?" Loke countered with a soft chuckle, patting the girl's head lovingly.

"Sorry, but why were you waiting for Lucy?" Levy asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes similar to Mirajane's made Lucy pale.

"Oh, Lucy didn't tell you? I'm-" Lucy slapped her hand over his mouth, "doing a favor for my father!" she finished hastily for him, sweating bullets as she did. She was nearly strangling him with the her grip on his neck, daring Loke to say anything otherwise. _I will skin you alive if you say anything!_ Her brown eyes threatened him as he cautiously nodded and told her to loosen her grip.

"Hmm, Loke, what sort of 'favor' is this you are doing for Lucy's father?" Mirajane asked, suspicious of the blonde and the doting boy beside her.

"Uh, sir Jude asked a favor that I... took care of Lucy?" He tried to conceal the slightly questioning tone in his voice. "Really?" She rubbed her chin in a suspicious manner, staring intently at the two.

"He must trust you quite a lot then, Loke." Erza added, "Lucy's father trusts only so many people with his daughter. Much more to guys." she gave a small, rather hinting smile the turned to the direction of the café. Chuckling, they others followed the red-head, leaving behind a flustered blonde and her ginger-haired suitor, who was busy trying to stifle his laughter - Erza really was the sharp one.

"My friends would and could possibly be the death of me." Lucy cried, slapping both hands on her face as she furiously shook her head from embarrassment.

"They're very... interesting." Loke allowed a chuckle, turning sideways slightly to the lamenting girl. "Is there a reason you don't want them to know of me courting you?"

Lucy raised her head and peeked through her hands at him. He seemed fine, not at all bothered that she downright refused to say a thing about their 'relationship' to the closest people she had, other than her parents. He looked the same - cool, calm and very kind and patient with the girl. Lucy sighed, "You saw how Mirajane kinda is, right?" rather glum as Loke cautiously nodded.

"Very hyper and ecstatic about other people's lovelife. Any possible matches, crushes, relationships and the slightest odd bit of eye-contact or chemistry between two people, she's all... _that_," Sighing deeply as she ran a hand through her somewhat messy hair.

"Uhh. . ."

"Now think if her reaction when she find out someone is _courting_ me. I might die from whatever she might do or say. She thinks courting is he most lovely way to woo a girl." She mumble slightly the last part, glancing over Loke's slightly red face from trying to control his laughter. "Don't laugh Loke! Mirajane is terrifying when she's angry _and_ when she's like that! Not to mention that she's almost brainwashed Levy." She groaned, slapping her forehead again.

"You might get a self-induced concussion from all those smack to the heads you're doing to yourself." Loke chuckled, taking Lucy's hand as he saw her narrow her eyes and slightly puff out her cheeks. "It's fine, Princess. If you don't want your friends to know, it's cool. So long as your parents are fine with me, I'm more than happy." He smiled brightly at the girl who slightly looked dejected and guilty. Grinning wide, she patted the top of her head lovingly, "Don't worry. Heck, tell them when we get together if you want. Just don't try to strangle me again." He chuckled and led her to the café she and her friends planned to go to.

"Come on," He grinned at her.

"You're really odd sometimes Loke." She gave a half-smile as him.

"I'm a man who can turn to any type cat and vice versa, what do you expect?" He laughed at her comment, letting go of her hand as they neared the café.

"Point taken," She giggled and ran toward her friends, who already sat at a table.

* * *

"I told you so!" Lucy proudly exclaimed, waving her fork in front of Levy.

"Alright, alright. Their food is kinda good." Levy chuckled, shoving another spoonful of her food into her mouth.

"And you thought I had bad taste." Lucy stuck her tongue out at her friends, waving the fork around in the air.

"Well, you do sometimes," Wendy chuckled, messing her plate of fried rice.

"I told you before, it was one time! And I had a cold that time too!" Lucy crossed her arms and pouted, slumping back to her chair as her friends laughed at her reaction.

"Oh, you see Loke, this one time Lucy ate a-"

"Mirajane!" Lucy cried, interrupting the platinum-haired beauty. "Must you tell him about that? He really doesn't need to know!" She flustered, making everyone laugh. "You are too cute sometimes, Lucy." Mirajane chuckled, glancing over to Loke, who sat right beside Lucy and kept looking at her every now and then.

"Lu-chan, come with me to the toilet!" Levy sang, pulling Lucy's arm. "Eh? But Levy-" She was pulled out of her seat and dragged by the petite blue-haired girl to the inside of the café. Levy, looking over her shoulder, gave a wink to Mirajane and the others which Lucy didn't see. Nodding discreetly, Mirajane leaned forward slightly toward Loke, "So Loke, what is your relationship with Lucy?" she asked, her eyes twinkling.

Loke nearly choked on his tea. Coughing, he managed to let out a rather raspy "Pardon?".

"Come on Loke, anybody with a pair of eyes can see the two of you." She chuckled at his slightly pink face.

"Uh, Lucy and I are good friends," He said rather slowly. Mirajane giggled and wagged her finger in front of him. "You're not fooling anyone Loke. Especially me." She smiled.

"Give it up Loke, Mirajane isn't going to let out go alive without telling her what she wants to know and hear." Erza nonchalantly said as she sipped her tea.

"Believe us, we've been through it," Wendy nervously smiled and laughed.

Loke's eye twitched as he looked at Erza, then to Wendy then finally to the Mirajane, who was smiling brightly and had small sparkles around her cerulean eyes. "Come on Loke. I promise not to tell anything to Lucy whatever you told us." She leaned toward him more, her face right in front of him. Smiling awkwardly, his eye still twitching slightly, he wracked his brain fro any excuse that would sound believable.

"And don't try to make up silly excuses on the spot. I've heard them all," Mirajane winked and wagged her finger at him again. _Damn._

Glancing at the café door, Loke sighed. "I'm not in any position to say miss Mirajane." He smiled at her.

"Neither was Bickslow and Freed on Evergreen's relationship with my brother, or Meredy on Jellal and Erza, but I got them to sing." She chuckled as Erza shuddered slightly, still keeping her cool font though. "If I could make Bickslow and Freed to chirp, I can make you." She sang, smiling sweetly at Loke as his jaw dropped slightly when the two girls returned.

"We're sorry we took so long. Levy accidentally flushed her foot down the toilet." Lucy nonchalantly said as she took a sip from her juice.

"Hey!" Levy protested.

"Loke? Are you alright?" Lucy waved her hand in front of his face.

Snapping out of his daze and shutting his mouth closed, he held the hand Lucy waved in front of his face, "Lucy, I'm terribly sorry for this." he solemnly said before turning to her friends. "I'm courting Lucy." He promptly said as Levy and Wendy's jaws dropped, Erza smirked slightly and Mirajane let out a girlish squeal.

"Oh gosh, that's so much better than I thought!" Mirajane squealed as Erza closed the mouths of Wendy and Levy.

* * *

**C/N: I've lost inspiration/motivation after that one sentence. And the chapter's not all that good as you all can tell. =.= ._.  
Bear with me, I'm losing inspiration for the chapters that'll lead to the 'climax'. =_=  
**

**So... which do you guys prefer? Sting or Loke? :D**

**Oh, 'siomao' is a siomai and siopao put together. Siomai is a dumpling but it also isn't (XD) and siopao is a meat bun in general. (Google it kittens!)**

_**"We're all mad here."**_


	15. Courting 101

**C/N: I kind of thought you'd all say Loke. ._.  
But I like Sunny's reasoning! Who can resist a man in a suit? XD**

**And I'm quite curious, how do you somehow all like the chapter when I'm purely making everything on the spot? Hell, I'm embarrassed sometimes when I read the chapter, I make odd romance. :/**

**You all love Loke, alright, alright. XD**

**Anyway, good luck liking this one. XD**

* * *

Lucy sighed for the fourteenth time that evening, promptly dropping her head onto the table with a soft thump.

"Lucy, you'll get a concussion from those." Loke stated through the couch cushions he laid face-down on.

"I'd rather suffer a self-induced concussion than Mirajane-induced one." Lucy answer back through the wood.

"Lucy, I said sorry." Loke whined.

"Sorry doesn't save me form anything."

"She did say she wouldn't intervene or anything since we told her."

"That's synonymous to 'I'm going to stay in the sidelines, but I'm going to do what I want, when I think it's needed.' to Mirajane." She brought her head up, off the desk as she said then dropped it again. Loke groaned.

Right after Loke has told his beloved's friends of his courting, Lucy's soul almost literally left her body while Mirajane chattered on gaily on what he should do and how it'd be wonderful to help. Loke was frantic, in between reviving Lucy, and trying to fix what happened. Erza, bless her difficult heart, Loke praised, reasoned with Mirajane on the matter, trying to get her to leave them be.

"I'm more than sure Loke can handle it on his own, Lucy's father agreed to his courting after all." Erza explained as Loke tried to explain to the half-dead Lucy how Erza was trying to help them out, sighing in relief as color started returning to her pretty face.

Mirajane conceded, after a thirty minute debate and a few several small threats from Erza. Though she promised to "help out" when needed, much to Lucy's chagrin.

"I'm going to die young," Lucy mumbled, rubbing circles on her temples. Loke mumbled things into the sofa cushions as well, trying to reason with himself too.

"Lucy? Dinner." Her mother called through the door. "Coming." Lucy replied weakly, sighing as she stood up and turned to Loke. "Come on Loke, let's go." Loke replied through the cushion, telling her that he'll go later. Shrugging she left the door slightly ajar and went down to their dining room.

"Where's father?" Lucy asked as she scanned the room and the living room.

"Oh, he got held up in the company; it'll just be the two of us for dinner, unless he or your kitten decides to come soon." She smiled tenderly at her daughter as she set down a vase of geraniums in the middle of the table.

"Oh, okay." Lucy shrugged nonchalantly and sat down in front of her mother. The two ate in comfortable silence, Lucy still sighing silently at the thought of having to see Mirajane the next day and her mother silently watched her daughter.

"How are you and Loke, Lucy?" her mother suddenly asked, making Lucy almost choke on a baby corn.

"I'm sorry?" Lucy asked while grabbing a glass of water.

"You know, about his courting and such. Have you told Mirajane and the others? They would be ecstatic." she chuckled and smiled serenely at her pinking daughter.

"Um, y-yeah, sort of mother."

"Which reminds me, I should tell you about how courting works." she announced, clapping her hands together.

"What, are there something like rules and guidelines?"

"Basically." her mother smiled. "Well, first, you know that public display of affection isn't something your father and I are so fond of, so you know better." she said firmly, watching her daughter nod vehemently.

"Although, I'm considerable fine is he hold your hand while, let's say, crossing the street or so. It's gentlemanly to do so." she smiled warmly, "But I'd prefer if that would be the only instance he would hold your hand. Walking and sitting together is fine, but there should still be a certain amount of space between you two, alright?" she sternly told her daughter, to which she sighed at.

"I know that much, mother." Lucy sighed, and rubbed the side of her neck.

"Well, I'm just reminding you, love." she lightly chuckled. "And a little sort of independence should be shown; you shouldn't let Loke do everything."

"And do remember: study first." she finished with a bright, tender smile to her daughter, to which she returned with and equally bright but meek smile.

"Yes mother. Thank you for the advice."

"I was going to give you this talk later on, but since you have a suitor already, it was about time I did." she chuckled. "By the way, Lucy, how old is Loke? A man who wears a suit like that is certainly older."

"Um, around twenty or twenty-two?" Lucy pondered, tapping her fork against her bottom lip.

"Hmm," Layla thought, tapping her fingers on the clothed table. "I suppose that's fine. So long as he has a good job and sort. How else would he be able to give you a comfortable life when you're married?" she nonchalantly said. Lucy though, was caught off guard and spat the half-chewed food in her mouth to the table.

"Mother!" she cried, slightly horrified and red-faced.

Her mother laughed, "Hm? Oh, I'm sorry dear, I'm practicing for your father. He said the day will come when you're swooned away, he'd weep so much. But he's somehow already planning your wedding."

"Ahhh! I'm not listening to you anymore!" she cried while covering her ears.

"Well, it's quite true." Layla laughed again. "Your father also said something about wanting at least three grandchildren."

"Ahhhhhrg! Good night mother!" Lucy cried while still covering her ears and running up to her room.

"Good night, Lucy. I'll out your leftovers in the oven." she called after, chuckling lightly, cleaning up the table.

"They grow up so fast." she sighed, staring at the stairs, a rather melancholic, tender smile gracing her lips.

* * *

**C/N: Why is the chapter short? I'm lazy. XD And kind of uninspired-ish.  
And for all you readers out there, that's real advice on Courting 101. Courtesy of my rather nosy mother. Don't ask. ._.  
She knows things. Things I don't even know about. Or even know exist of. =.=  
**

**Next chapter be take long-ish to come. XD**

**UNINSPIRED! :3**

_**"I'm not mad. My reality is just different from yours."**_


	16. Love and War

**C/N: Hey. XD  
Missed me? :3  
asdfghjkl, My brain's half-melted (almost literally) so bear with me and my absurdly late updates. XDD Plus I'm absurdly very sickly. Very.  
**

**DATE STARTED: May 19, 2013; 12:47 AM  
(The writer's doing this now, just to show you how hard she's trying to make something up, just to show you all how much she loves you guys. XDD)**

* * *

"Remind me again, why am I still allowing you to accompany me to and from school?" Lucy asked for the fifth time, while glaring relentlessly at Loke's head.

"Because: one, your father allowed me to; two, it's my pleasure to do so; three, it's customary that I do this; and four, I want to spend more time with you." Loke answered again with a mixed sigh and chuckle.

Lucy huffed and crossed her arms, blowing the bangs from her face. "One, you technically forced the idea on to him; two and three are practically the same, and I'm perfectly fine on my own, thank you very much." she sharply let out a breath and stomped away from the ginger-haired man. Sighed and dragging his hand down his face for the sixth time that morning, Loke quickly caught up to Lucy.

"And I'm with you practically 24/7!" she spun around to face him and exclaimed. Loke opened his mouth to respond the same answer he's been giving for the past hour, though couldn't as a cough and the sound of someone clearing their throat came from behind him.

"S-Sting!" Lucy stuttered, horrified when she glanced behind Loke.

Loke hissed and turned around to face Sting, grimacing at him in the most sincere way he could without making Lucy notice. "Has anyone ever told you it's rude to interrupt people who are talking, kid?"

Sting gave his signature smirk and shrugged, walking toward the pair. "I just cleared my throat. Noting rude at that." he said, standing toe-to-toe to Loke. Sting stood a half-inch shorter than Loke as they glared at each other.

Lucy, snapping out of her horrified trance, squeezed herself between the two men who looked like a thunder-storm would brew in front of them. "So early in the morning," she muttered to herself, "Good morning then, Sting. Loke, let's go. The thunder-storm you're brewing will wake Momo."

Sting stiffened slightly at the mention of the name of the so-called "devil's incarnate"; Loke stared confused at Lucy.

"Whatever you say, Lucy." Loke mumbled, scratching his head. "Well, we'll be off then, kid. Remember to look both ways before crossing the road." he grinned at Sting, placing an arm around Lucy's shoulders and steering her to the path to her school.

"Loke." Lucy reprimanded, turning to look at Sting. "See you around, Sting."

Sting smirked and caught up to the pair, swatting away Loke's arm and resting his own around her shoulders. "Aw, can't get rid of me that easily. Our schools are in the same direction, remember?"

Loke clicked his tongue and hissed in disgust, swatting away the Sting's arm.

The three walked in turbulent silence, Lucy sighing in defeat every time she failed to separate the two from glaring at each other, comical thunderbolts running through their gaze. _This isn't even funny anymore._ Lucy sighed exasperatedly as the two squeezed her between them.

She felt like ramming her head on the suddenly very interesting grey wall the three walked by. Each and every time she tried to start-up a conversation, one of them would say something insulting or "not for the faint of heart" - as Loke had explained to her.

"Lucy!" someone called from behind the three. _Oh, whatever deity's out there that loves me, thank you! _Lucy rejoiced silently. Turning around with a bright smile, it dropped on instant and nearly slammed her head onto the metal post beside them. _I take that back. Fudge you too._

"Good morning, Lucy." Mirajane greeted brightly and cheerily.

"Good morning, Mirajane. What brings you to this path?" Lucy said with a forced, twitchy smile.

"I just wanted a change of scenery this morning." Mirajane chuckled, quickly glancing over Loke and Sting with a smile only Lucy would know so well.

"_Of course you did._" Lucy woefully said to herself. Mirajane chuckled and raised her gaze to the boys at the background, "Good morning to you too, guys. How are you?"

"Morning, Mira."

"Good morning, Mirajane."

They greeted at the same time, glaring at each other from the corners of their eyes. Mirajane chuckled as Lucy groaned and face-palmed. Everything seemed worse that before.

* * *

"It's a bit early, why don't we stop by that café nearby?" Mirajane asked.

"_Mira..._" Lucy hissed, but was waved away.

"How about it?" Mirajane asked with twinkling eyes that said 'you don't have a choice; you come, or I drag you by that tips of your hair'. Both boys, for the first time all day, glanced at each other warily before nodding their agreement. Lucy groaned and slammed her head onto the closest wall.

"Lucy!" Loke worriedly cried, rushing over and scolding the girl for doing such a thing. In the background, Sting suspiciously watched with a frown, Mirajane observing further in the background.

"Hey," Sting called to Mirajane after a while. "What's up with those two?"

"Hmm, you don't know." Mirajane said without a hint of questioning.

"Know...?" Sting asked, glaring as Loke pressed a handkerchief to the girl's forehead while still scolding her.

Mirajane chuckled, cupping the side of her mouth and leaning closer to his ear. "Loke's courting Lucy." she whispered before skipping to the quarreling almost-couple, leaving a statue-like Sting behind her.

"How are you doing, Lucy?" Mirajane asked sweetly as Lucy glared comically at the platinum-haired girl. "I've had better days." she muttered in response. She patted Lucy on the head lovingly, chuckling as she went around the two and pushed them forward. "Let's get going to that café now. Sting," she said, calling after Sting when they went past them. Luckily - and unfortunately, to Loke - he followed, though in a slightly more downcast attitude.

She smiled to herself as she glanced back to the boy behind her and the pair in front.

Everyone loves a good romance, but a love triangle always spiced things up to Mirajane.

* * *

"Mirajane Strauss," Lucy whispered loudly to the girl beside her. "What did you do? They're so behaved."

Mirajane chuckled and patted her on the shoulder, "They're just thinking." she answered with a smile when Lucy looked even more confused.

Loke, after a while and when Mirajane cut in between them, noticed Sting's mood, and when he occasionally would stare at Lucy with mixed emotions. He felt something tick, and became almost as quiet as Sting.

When Lucy opened her mouth to ask something, Mirajane pulled her to her feet. "We're going to the comfort room for a bit." she said before dragging the blonde into the café.

The two men left at the table were silent, almost ignoring the other's existence.

"You're courting Lucy." Sting finally broke the ice, his tone more serious and stating than confused and inquiring.

"Yes." Loke answered laconically as he sipped his coffee, not looking at all at Sting.

Another wave of stiff silence passed, both again, ignoring the other's existence.

"She's not going to get with you." Sting stated.

"Excuse me?" Loke scoffed, "Last I checked, I'm in good terms with both her parents, I'm relatively higher up in her books compared to you and I actually have a 'relationship' with her."

Sting rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I don't do stuff that way. I don't do courting either. But I'm not giving, definitely not. Especially to you." he stated. Loke smirked and raised his cup. "Good luck then. May the best man win her heart."

Sting huffed out a breath through his nose, raising his own cup and putting it down, raising a hand. "Then it's war." he smirked as Loke shook hands with him. Just as they dropped hands, the girls emerged from the café, Lucy whining about something and Mirajane dragging and lightly scolding her.

"What did we miss?" Mirajane asked with a hint of knowing.

"Nothing." the boys both answered, a ghost of a smirk on their handsome faces as their eyes quickly washed over to Lucy's confused face.

_Something's always happening when I'm in the bathroom. _she thought as she swore she saw Loke and Sting look at each other with more determination than hostility. Beside her, she heard Mirajane mutter and chuckle lightly, "_I'm so good at this._" she thought she heard.

* * *

**DATE FINISHED: June 8, 2013; 9:32 AM**

**C/N: Dan-dan-da-DAAAA! Aha! Finally finished! I've had writer's block for this chapter a bit, but I had all the time in the hospital to think of it (and how horridly sickly I am. D:).  
Anyway, I know it took me nearly a month to write this, but as I said, I'm sickly and then out internet broke down and stuff happened. -3-  
Plus school's starting soon and I'm graduating so I won't be able to write as often (as if I did before. XD) so bear with me. ._.  
**

**Anywhoos, I love you all. X3 (I'm sorry it's short.)  
**

_**"I'm not mad. My reality is just different from yours."**_


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